Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Türkiye will seek to deepen cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), describing the group as a “rising star”.
“We will strive to advance our cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which we see as a rising star, in every field,” Erdogan said on Tuesday at the SCO Plus meeting in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital.
“The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, representing 3.5 billion people and $35 trillion in gross domestic product, is an indispensable element of a multipolar order,” he said.
Erdogan said Türkiye was taking responsibility for resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy and would continue working for peace and stability around the world.
He said the organisation could play a role not only in ensuring peace and stability, but also in establishing secure transport corridors and ensuring energy supply security.
Türkiye seeks greater regional cooperation
Erdogan said Türkiye aimed to contribute to efforts to combat the negative effects of climate change and noted that the country would host the COP31 summit in Antalya on November 11-12.
He said Ankara wanted the Caspian-crossing Middle Corridor initiative to be aligned with China’s Belt and Road Initiative and attached great importance to cooperation within the SCO.
Referring to Gaza and Lebanon, Erdogan said 74,000 people had been killed in Israeli attacks and warned that the entire region was paying the price for what he described as an aggressive policy.
He also said the Mecca Defence Alliance, based on regional ownership and collective deterrence, would make significant contributions to regional and global peace and stability.
