SCO members should jointly counteract western sanctions – Belarus premier

<p> MINSK, Nov 25 - PrimePress. It would be advisable for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states to coordinate actions against Western sanctions and Western interference in domestic affairs of other countries. Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko made a statement to this effect at a videoconference session of the SCO Heads of Government Council on 25 November, the government’s press-service reports. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Founded in June 2001, the SCO embraces China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia have observer status, while Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Turkey are dialogue partners. Belarus received observer status at the SCO in July 2015. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Golovchenko noted that Belarus shares the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s approach to counteracting protectionism and trade wars, which slow down world development. “A full-scale hybrid war from all directions has been launched against Belarus. Western countries have enforced four packages of sanctions, including economic ones. More restrictions are being contemplated. The migrant crisis the European Union has provoked at Belarus' border with the European Union is the reason for that,” Golovchenko said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Golovchenko pointed out that a number of other Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries are facing such approaches in one form or another. “In order to counteract these negative phenomena, it would be advisable for the entire Shanghai Cooperation Organization family to coordinate their actions against any manifestations of diktat, unilateral restrictive measures, and interference in domestic affairs of other countries under the pretence of ensuring democracy and human rights,” said Golovchenko. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In his opinion, time is ripe to prepare an agreement on cooperation and mutual understanding between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan). “Being an observer state at the SCO and a full member of the CSTO, Belarus believes that there is a need to prepare a full-fledged agreement on cooperation and mutual understanding between the SCO and the CSTO. Such a document would take regional cooperation to a new level to combat security challenges and threats, and also to significantly increase the international influence of our two organizations,” the prime minister said. End </p>

2021-11-26

Primepress