Russia has called for closer relations between Afghanistan and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday.
“Russia is calling for more intensive and deeper cooperation between the SCO and Afghanistan,” Medvedev said at the alliance’s tenth jubilee summit in Astana.
The leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan met in Astana to discuss regional stability and security, including the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking.
Medvedev emphasized that all of the participants of the summit endorsed his viewpoint.
“Eventually, the process of political stabilization in Afghanistan depends on this [extended cooperation with the SCO], and the security of our states on a great degree depends on the situation in this country,” the Russian president said.
Afghanistan has filed a request to receive observer status in the alliance.