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SCO countries reaffirm commitment to equitable multipolar world order — communique

The meeting was chaired by Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Keqiang

BEIJING, November 1. /TASS/. The member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have reaffirmed their commitment to a more just multipolar world order based on comprehensive and sustainable security, according to the joint communique adopted on Tuesday after the 21st meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government.

"In this regard, the member states, based on the proximity or convergence of assessments of the current regional and international agenda, reaffirmed their commitment to forming a more representative, democratic, equitable and multipolar world order based on generally recognized principles of international law, multilateralism, equal, joint, indivisible, comprehensive and sustainable security, on cultural and civilization diversity, mutual and equal cooperation of states with the UN holding the central coordinating role," the document reads.

The meeting was chaired by Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Keqiang.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was established in 2001 by six states: Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, and Uzbekistan. Later, in 2017, Pakistan and India joined the club. Four other countries - Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia - hold observer status, while several other nations - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, Cambodia, Qatar, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Sri Lanka - are dialogue partners.

At the SCO summit in Samarkand on September 15 to 16, the SCO leaders signed a memorandum on the obligations of the Iranian side in connection with its accession to the SCO. After that, Iran must fulfill the relevant obligations and complete the formal accession procedure. Also during the summit the process of registration of Belarus’ membership in the organization began.

In addition, it was decided to start the procedure of granting the status of dialogue partners to Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar and the United Arab Emirates.

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