On April 16, at the HQ of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Beijing, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Edward Nalbandian and Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Rashid Alimov signed a Memorandum, whereby Armenia was granted the status of dialogue partner.

Delivering remarks at the signing ceremony, Edward Nalbandian attached significance of cooperation between Armenia and the SCO, stressing that Armenia perceives the Organization as establishment of new important platform of dialogue.

Commending the signed document, Edward Nalbandian emphasized that it sets such important directions of cooperation as regional security and promotion of stability, joint efforts in the fight against terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking and in the fight against transnational organized crime. The Minister added that the Memorandum lays the legal basis for multi-lateral cooperation between Armenia and SCO member states in trade and investment, energy, transport and telecommunications sectors.

The SCO Secretary General attaching significance to granting of a status of dialogue partner to Armenia, stressed that it is very pleasant to include Armenia, a country with ancient history, in the SCO family.

Foreign Minister of Armenia and the SCO Secretary General agreed that the establishment of partnership relations will be a new landmark for the development of cooperation between Armenia and the Organization, as well as for prospects for further deepening of cooperation.

Information. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was founded in 2001 and includes 6 states, i.e. China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.