Türkiye aims to join Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Erdoğan

ANKARA

Türkiye aims to become a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, noting that the group’s next meeting in India will be a venue to further discuss this issue.

“We are not a member of the Shanghai Five. The next process is a step toward the most advanced level of this work. This step, of course, will come to the agenda at a more advanced level in the talks in India, which will be the host of the upcoming period,” he told journalists on Sept. 17 on his plane from Uzbekistan to Türkiye.

Erdoğan reminded that the organization was once called Shanghai Five, but now it has nine members, along with three observer members and nine dialogue partners, including Türkiye.

“Almost all the leaders I met thanked us for the role we played in reducing tensions, especially in the Russia-Ukraine War. They said, ‘We really appreciate and congratulate you for your role here,’” he said.

The world powers have no intention to make efforts for the solution of the Ukrainian crisis, Erdoğan said and stressed that Türkiye has initiated this bid and kept a balanced policy between Ukraine and Russia.

Reminding the export deal signed by Türkiye, the U.N., Russia, and Ukraine, which resumed Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports, Erdoğan said they discussed the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The grain corridor should address less developed countries rather than developing countries, and Türkiye will make efforts for this purpose. Ankara also has contacts with relevant parties for the export of Russian grain and fertilizers, Erdoğan added.

Russia is also hoping to export its food and fertilizers to the world under certain guarantees provided by the U.N. However, due to the concerns over the shipment, banking and insurance companies, the Russian exports have not started yet.

Elaborating on the recent clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Erdoğan said Baku says it has “completed the operation it started in return for Armenia’s provocations.”

Referring to his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Erdoğan said Baku is of the opinion that it has ensured the security of Azeris after the last confrontation.

“It is important here that Armenia abandons its provocations against Azerbaijan and focuses on peace and cooperation as soon as possible by acting in accordance with its previous commitments,” Erdoğan stated.

Türkiye’s wish is to successfully conclude the normalization processes carried out in the region and to ensure regional peace and stability permanently, he added.

Armenia and Azerbaijan had their worst clashes since a 2020 war put in doubt a halting peace process between the arch foes. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Armenian forces “violated the ceasefire... and shelled Azerbaijani positions near Kelbajar and Lachin with mortars and artillery.”

Erdoğan said Türkiye and Russia had reached a deal resolving a dispute over the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, reinstating a Turkish contractor.