Azerbaijan hopes to reach new level of cooperation with SCO: FM

BAKU, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan is willing to expand its relations with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to a new level, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said here on Monday.

During his meeting with a delegation headed by Rashid Alimov, Secretary General of the SCO, the Azerbaijani FM said that Azerbaijan is willing to further expand cooperation with the organization and raise its relations to a new level, according to local Trend news agency.

Mammadyarov thanked Alimov for his support for the development of ties between the SCO and Azerbaijan.

The minister said that Azerbaijan maintains friendly and partner relations with the SCO member states. He added that East-West, North-South, South-West transport corridors open huge opportunities for cooperation within the SCO.

Alimov, in turn, pointed out that as a dialogue partner of the SCO, Azerbaijan is actively involved in the cultural and public events within the organization.

During the meeting, the two sides also stressed the importance of public diplomacy projects to raise awareness about the SCO and its activities in Azerbaijan.

The observation mission from the SCO, headed by Secretary-General Rashid Alimov, arrived in Azerbaijan to observe the presidential election slated for April 11.

The Mission includes observers from SCO member states and the SCO Secretariat.

The SCO observers will study the pre-election situation in Azerbaijan and observe the voting process in Baku, Sumgayit, Ganja, Absheron and Mingachevir polling stations.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a permanent intergovernmental international organization, the creation of which was announced on June 15 of 2001 in Shanghai (China) by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Azerbaijan is represented in the organization as a dialogue partner.