Syria seeks to join SCO, BRICS – minister

PanARMENIAN.Net - Syria is seeking to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the grouping of the emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in the future, Syria’s information minister said on Saturday, April 27, RIA Novosti reported.

“We would like to become one day the member of such organizations as the SCO and BRICS,” Omran Ahed al-Zouabi said at the meeting with Ilyas Umakhanov, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council.

The minister said Syria would also like Russia to participate in the country’s reconstruction after the settlement of the Syrian crisis, which has claimed at least 70,000 lives and displaced millions in just over two years.

In the March declaration at the end of the BRICS summit in Durban, South Africa, the leaders expressed “deep concern” over the ongoing conflict in Syria and warned against any further militarization of the conflict.

Founded in 2001, the SCO comprises Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The organization consolidates efforts to counter terrorism and radicalization among member countries, and also works on other policy areas such as politics and trade.

Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan have observer status, while Belarus, Sri Lanka and Turkey are classed as dialogue partners.