Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko plans to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on July 4 in Astana , he announced in his birthday greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
„I express my hope to meet you at the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on July 4 in Astana. I am confident that on this platform Belarus and China will also stand side by side, seeking the full potential of this organization for the benefit of our peoples and all humanity,”, the text of the congratulation is quoted by the president's press service.
Lukashenko thanked Xi Jinping for his personal attention and efforts aimed at constantly strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Belarus and China. “I am especially grateful for the support and assistance regarding the accession of our country to the SCO and BRICS formats,”, the president emphasized. According to him, Belarus "follows with admiration China's successes both in domestic politics and in the international arena". thanks to Xi Jinping's leadership and consistent implementation of his ideas “aimed at building a community with a shared destiny for mankind“. Lukashenko assured the President of the People's Republic of China of Minsk's desire for close cooperation in the implementation of Beijing's initiatives in the field of global security, development of civilization and other relevant fields.
Minsk has completed the procedures necessary to formalize its entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, whose members are Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Belarus is expected to become a full member of the SCO at the summit in Astana on July 4.