The Standing Committee recently hosted a meeting between the State Secretary of the Union State, Grigory Rapota, and the General Secretary of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, Dmitry Mezentsev, to discuss the opportunity for Belarus to receive observer status within the SOC (as was noted after the summit in Ufa).
The SOC Head especially noted the expansion of collaboration with observer-states, using the ‘6+5’ formula. Fulfilling the instructions of SOC member states, the organisation ensures the participation of representatives of ministries and departments from observer-states at most meetings and sessions. Annually, 18 such meetings are held.
Mr. Rapota told Mr. Mezentsev about the construction of the Union State and shared the experience of Belarus-Russia interaction.
By Yelena Alexandrova
