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General Staff chief invites SCO countries to joint humanitarian operation in Syria

The organization’s member-states have common priorities - good-neighborliness, mutually beneficial cooperation, regional stability and security, the head of Russia's General Staff said

MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov has suggested that member-countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) take part in the humanitarian operation in Syria.

"I offer you to take part in the humanitarian operation in Syria, where a wide range of our practical cooperation is possible today, such as demining territory, joint patrolling, providing humanitarian assistance and restoring infrastructure," Gerasimov said, opening a meeting of the SCO members’ general staff chiefs.

CONFLICT IN SYRIA

He noted that the organization’s member-countries have common priorities - good-neighborliness, mutually beneficial cooperation, regional stability and security. "We are confronted with common challenges and threats, primarily those posed by international terrorism, and recent events confirm that. It has become clear to anyone recently that it is only possible to maintain security through concerted efforts," Gerasimov added.

During the meeting, the SCO general staff chiefs will exchange views on regional security issues and military cooperation and discuss the implementation of decisions made by the SCO defense ministers.

The meeting of the general staff chiefs, which brought together representatives of Russia, India, China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Belarus, is being held during the Peace Mission 2018 joint SCO military counterterrorism drills.

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