Erdogan Says SCO Is a Rising Star, Vows to Strengthen Cooperation

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), led by China and Russia, on August 1 local time.

According to Anadolu Agency, President Erdogan attended the SCO summit held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, and stated, "Representing 3.5 billion people and a gross domestic product (GDP) of 35 trillion dollars, the SCO is one of the essential elements of a multipolar order."

He added, "We will strive to strengthen cooperation in all areas with the SCO, which is like a rising star."

President Erdogan said, "I believe the SCO will play an important role not only in guaranteeing peace and stability, but also in establishing secure transportation corridors and ensuring energy supply security."

He also added, "We hope that the Trans-Caspian International Middle Corridor will be aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative, and we attach great importance to cooperation within the SCO."

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, is a multimodal transport initiative starting from China, passing through Central Asia such as Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan via railway and road networks, and connecting to Europe through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey.

Turkey, located on the route to Europe, is actively pursuing this initiative.

Although Turkey is not a full member of the SCO, it has held "dialogue partner" status since 2012.

President Erdogan previously mentioned in 2022 that "joining the SCO is our goal."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.