Belarus prepares bid to join SCO - Russian presidential envoy

TASHKENT. June 14 (Interfax) - Belarus has prepared an application to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the proposal has been worked out in an interagency format and endorsed by the Belarusian government, Bakhtiyor Khakimov, Russia's special presidential representative on SCO affairs, said on Tuesday.

"Belarus has made a request to be admitted promptly and made it understood that a Belarusian presidential proposal has been drawn up on submitting an application for SCO membership," Khakimov said during a meeting of the SCO Council of National Coordinators in Tashkent.

Belarus currently holds observer status in the SCO.