In an article published for the upcoming SCO meeting at the end of this week, Uzbekistan’s President Mirziyoyev writes of the coming growth of the SCO, and the pursuit of “indivisible security.”
“[W]e are confident that in Samarkand we shall witness the birth of a new stage in the life of SCO – the number of its members will grow, and its future agenda will be formed,” he writes.
Mirziyoyev remarks that “the number of states ready to cooperate with the SCO is growing every year” and that “the SCO is strong if each of us is strong.” He calls for increased cooperation on transportation, energy, security, and innovation.
In particular, he discusses Afghanistan: “Afghanistan, which has played for centuries the role of a buffer in the historical confrontations of global and regional powers, should try on a new peaceful mission of connecting Central and South Asia.
“The construction of the trans-Afghan corridor could become a symbol of such mutually beneficial inter-regional cooperation. It is also important to understand that by implementing joint infrastructure projects such as the Termez–Mazar-i-Sharif–Kabul–Peshawar railroad we are not just solving socio-economic, transport and communication problems, but also making a significant contribution to ensuring regional security.
“By bringing our positions closer to each other, together we can develop a new SCO agenda for a more peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan. Only in this way can we create a truly stable and sustainable SCO space with an indivisible security.”
