Alexander Lukashenko arrives in Astana to participate in SCO summit

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has arrived in Kazakhstan's capital Astana to participate in the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BELTA reports.

Alexander Lukashenko is also expected to hold a number of meetings and negotiations with his foreign colleagues on the margins of the summit. Heads of state and heads of international organizations are already in Astana. The leaders include Russia, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Mongolia and the UN Secretary-General.

The international forum includes a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO member states, as well as a meeting in the "SCO plus" format with the participation of leaders of observer states, guests of honor and heads of international organizations. The theme of the meeting will be "Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue - Striving for Sustainable Peace and Development".

The main issue of the upcoming summit for Belarus is to finalize the procedure of the country's admission to the SCO membership.

In his speech at the summit, Alexander Lukashenko is expected to touch upon the most significant areas of the organization's work and the contribution that Belarus is ready to make to the common tasks.

The participants of the meeting of the Council of Heads of State will discuss the issues of further improving the work of the integration association in order to strengthen and deepen multilateral cooperation in the new environment, will consider topical international and regional issues in the SCO region.