Shanghai Cooperation Organization Evaluates Potential Membership of Armenia and Azerbaijan

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is open to dialogue, contacts, and interaction in various forms with partner countries and, if there is consensus, is ready to accept countries that share the objectives, tasks, and principles of the SCO Charter.

This was stated by SCO Secretary General Nurlan Yermekbayev in an interview with Izvestia, responding to the question of whether the "doors" to full membership in the SCO will remain closed for Armenia and Azerbaijan, The Caspian Post reports citing Armenian media.

“In particular, this is said in the statement on the principles of good neighborliness, trust, and partnership adopted by the Council of Heads of State in Astana in 2024. Thus, the granting of Laos the status of the 15th SCO dialogue partner at the Tianjin Summit has once again confirmed the principle of openness enshrined in the SCO Charter,” Yermekbayev noted.

“We do not use the term ‘blocking.’ Any decision is the result of discussion, consideration, and reaching a consensus. Many issues require some time for agreement and resolution. Moreover, the ‘doors’ of the organization are open to everyone whose activities do not contradict its principles and interests,” added the SCO Secretary General.

Earlier, it was reported that India had blocked Azerbaijan’s SCO membership application, and Pakistan had done the same to that of Armenia.