SCO needs to develop roadmap of joint projects - Kyrgyz president

BISHKEK. July 4 (Interfax) - Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has proposed drafting a roadmap of joint projects of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), considering the admission of new members to the organization.

"Given the substantial and promising potential of the dialogue partners, whose number has reached 14, I propose that the SCO Secretariat draft a roadmap of joint projects," Japarov said at an SCO summit on Tuesday.

He welcomed the broadening geography of the SCO.

"The geography of the SCO family has markedly expanded in recent years. Kuwait, the Maldives, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrein have received the status of SCO dialogue partners. Iran's admission to the SCO as a full-fledged member will be an important result of the organization's activity. We are also expecting successful finalization of the admission of our reliable partner Belarus as the SCO member," Japarov said.

The roadmap will intensify the involvement of partners in joint trade, banking, transportation, energy, tourism and educational projects, he said.

"The international community's interest in our organization is growing. The SCO sets an inspiring example of international relations based on mutual confidence, equality and aspiration for joint development. Over the years of its activity, the SCO has achieved weighty results and has evolved into a more influential sub-regional association, which combines over a quarter of the global economy and about a half of the global population. The SCO has a constructive agenda, which attracts many countries," Japarov said.

A meeting of the SCO prime ministers will take place in Bishkek on October 25-26 to discuss economic cooperation and to take practical decisions, he said.