Participation of India, Pakistan in SCO may help reduce their conflict potential - Ryabkov

MOSCOW, October 28. /TASS/. The participation of India and Pakistan in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) may help reduce these countries’ potential for conflict, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told the BRICS University Summit on Wednesday. "I agree that the joint participation of India and Pakistan in the SCO may become a factor that will help reduce these countries’ potential for conflict," he said. Referring to Iran, Ryabkov noted that the lifting of sanctions against Tehran may pave the way to the SCO for this country. "We assume that the conclusion in the short term of all procedures relating to removing the sanctions pressure from Iran will pay the way for Tehran’s membership in the SCO," Ryabkov noted. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier said that, if anti-Iranian sanctions were lifted, Russia would welcome its accession to the SCO. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a regional international association comprising Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. On July 10, the SCO launched the procedure of India and Pakistan’s accession to the organization. Read more