BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 1. Azerbaijan and Iran can play an important role in the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in various fields, including the economy, energy, and others, Iranian expert Farshid Bagherian told Trend.
“Over the years, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has gone through various stages of development. In this process, member states have provided significant assistance to the organization by putting forward new initiatives. Iran and Azerbaijan can also create new opportunities for this organization in various fields. Both countries can contribute to the development of international relations within the organization,” he said.
The Iranian expert noted that, in addition to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Iran and Azerbaijan are two neighboring countries:
“These two neighboring countries are taking important steps to develop their relations,” he said.
Bagherian stated that there are various opportunities for developing trade relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. The private sector can play an important role in expanding trade ties and trade volume between the two countries. In this regard, it is important to create conditions for the development of relations between the private sector in Iran’s border regions and Azerbaijan’s private sector.
The SCO was established in 2001 and initially comprised China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Over the past 25 years, the number of member states has grown to 10.
The summit marking the 26th anniversary of the SCO is being held in Bishkek from August 31 through September 1, under the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan. The meeting is focused on the organization’s future development, strengthening economic and transportation cooperation, as well as cooperation in the field of security.
Following the summit, the leaders are expected to review a number of documents concerning the development of the SCO’s financial and economic mechanisms, including initiatives to expand settlements in national currencies and establish new institutions for cooperation.
