TASHKENT, June 24: Pakistan has become full member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) after signing Memorandum of Obligations (MoOs).
The memorandum was signed by Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz at SCO’s Heads of State Summit at Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Friday.
The document was jointly signed by the Foreign Ministers of Six SCO member states, Secretary General SCO and the Adviser on Foreign Affairs.
Pakistan has been an Observer at SCO since 2005. It has been a regular participant in the meetings of SCO and was the first SCO Observer to apply for full membership in 2010.
Pakistan’s request for membership was approved in principle by the Heads of State Summit held in Ufa, Russia, in July last year. The Heads of State Council had agreed to launch the procedure of accepting Pakistan as a member state of SCO with the consensus of all the founding members.
The membership allows Pakistan to underscore its interest in regional peace, stability and development and its support for regional cooperation against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
It provides the country with a platform for forging closer ties with China, Russia and other members of SCO.–SABAH
