MOSCOW, July 2. /TASS/. Russia places special emphasis on partnership within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS as it considers them backbones of new international order, Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov told a briefing.

"We place great value on partnership within this [Shanghai Cooperation] organization. We consider SCO, same as the second major integration, BRICS, the key backbones of new international order, locomotives in the context of establishing genuine multilateralism in global affairs," he said.

"SCO is indeed a respected interstate organization, whose activities are based on equality, mutual respect of each other’s interests, solicitous attitude to national and cultural values," Ushakov said.

The president’s aide also noted that SCO already integrates 26 countries, including ten member-states (considering Belarus that will join the organization at the summit), two observers and 14 dialogue partners.

Beijing will assume the rotating chairmanship of the SCO for 2024-2025, he added. "We will closely cooperate with our Chinese partners. The more so as this year, for the rest of the year, Russia chairs BRICS, meaning China will chair one organization starting July while Russia [will chair] the other one," he said.