TEHRAN – The Tajik ambassador to Tehran said on Sunday that a permanent membership of Iran in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is among major plans.

“I was the first person who proposed membership of Iran in the Shanghai Organization, but decisions should be done with the consent of all countries. That Iran to become a major member is among plans of the Shanghai Organization and if other countries are ready to accept Iran, Tajikistan will also be ready,” Zohidi Nizomiddin told a press conference at the embassy.

Iran is currently an observer member of the SCO.

Zahedi also pointed the capacities of the SCO, saying “The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is among efficient organizations in the world.”

On the current presidency of Tajikistan over the organization, the ambassador said during this time the Republic of Tajikistan has drafted and approved a list of important plans.

“The presidency of Tajikistan is based on principles of equality, understanding and respect to interests of all members,” the ambassador remarked.

He added, “Our slogan is cooperation for stability and progress.”

Ambassador Nizomiddin also said Tajikistan pushes for friendship and strengthening stability in the region and consolidating the status of the SCO in the world.

The diplomat also said the SCO holds annual conferences and the next president of the organization is determined in Shahrivar (August 23-September 22).

Nizomiddin said after the presidential election in Iran, Tajikistan will send letter to the next president to attend the annual summit.
The ambassador added that the SCO is seeking to develop cooperation with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and ASEAN.

Ambassador Nizomiddin also said the SCO summit will be held on September 16-17 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital.

The SCO is an association of Eurasian nations founded 2001 in Shanghai by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Under the charter signed in 2002, the member nations cooperate on security and military issues, especially with respect to terrorism, as well as on economic, environmental, cultural, scientific, and other issues. 

All of the founding members except Uzbekistan had been in an earlier group, the Shanghai Five, created in 1996. The SCO encourages economic, political, and cultural exchanges among its members and conducts joint military exercises; it also acts as a counterbalance to U.S. and NATO influence in Central Asia and more generally Asia. The organizational bodies of the SCO include councils of heads of state, heads of government, and foreign ministers and an executive committee on regional counterterrorism. 

PA/PA