BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 1. Azerbaijan and
Iran can play an important role in the development of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) in various fields, including the
economy, energy, and others, Iranian expert Farshid Bagherian told
Trend.


“Over the years, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has gone
through various stages of development. In this process, member
states have provided significant assistance to the organization by
putting forward new initiatives. Iran and Azerbaijan can also
create new opportunities for this organization in various fields.
Both countries can contribute to the development of international
relations within the organization,” he said.


The Iranian expert noted that, in addition to the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization, Iran and Azerbaijan are two neighboring
countries:


“These two neighboring countries are taking important steps to
develop their relations,” he said.


Bagherian stated that there are various opportunities for
developing trade relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. The private
sector can play an important role in expanding trade ties and trade
volume between the two countries. In this regard, it is important
to create conditions for the development of relations between the
private sector in Iran’s border regions and Azerbaijan’s private
sector.







The SCO was established in 2001 and initially comprised China,
Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Over
the past 25 years, the number of member states has grown to 10.


The summit marking the 26th anniversary of the SCO is being held
in Bishkek from August 31 through September 1, under the
chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan. The meeting is focused on the
organization’s future development, strengthening economic and
transportation cooperation, as well as cooperation in the field of
security.


Following the summit, the leaders are expected to review a
number of documents concerning the development of the SCO’s
financial and economic mechanisms, including initiatives to expand
settlements in national currencies and establish new institutions
for cooperation.