MOSCOW, August 16. /TASS/. Preparations for the September summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) were the focus of a telephone conversation between Russian and Uzbek Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Shavkat Merziyoyev, the Kremlin press service said on Tuesday.
"The presidents discussed preparations for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization due in Samarkand in September. In this context, they noted the SCO’s high international authority and its growing contribution to enhancing regional stability and security," it said.
The two presidents also exchanged views on issues of the further development of bilateral strategic partnership and allied relations, the Kremlin added.
Established in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization now includes India, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia are observer countries, and Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, and Sri Lanka enjoy the partner status.
It is expected that the Samarkand summit in mid-September will complete the procedure of admitting Iran to the organization and will grant the partner status to Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The organization is also considering Belarus’ application for a full-fledged membership.