President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon has sent an invitation to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to participate in the anniversary SCO summit, which will take place on September 16-17 in Dushanbe.  The corresponding letter was published today in the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper.

 “As you know, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.  The SCO, having established itself over the past period in the international arena as an authoritative and dynamically developing regional association of a new type, today makes a significant contribution to ensuring peace, security and sustainable development in the region,” Rahmon said in his letter.

 “In the current anniversary year, the Republic of Tajikistan has the honor of chairmanship in the SCO and on September 16-17, the anniversary summit of the Organisation will be held in Dushanbe.  In this regard, with great pleasure I invite you, dear Gurbanguly Myalikguliyevich, together with the leaders of the SCO member states to take part in this important political event as the Chairman's Guest of Honor,” the message says.

 In another letter to the Turkmen leader, also published in today's newspaper, Emomali Rahmon praised his recent state visit to Turkmenistan, during which he held successful talks with Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and took part in the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia.

 “The documents signed following the visit significantly strengthen the legal basis of friendship and multifaceted cooperation between our countries and allow us to look with great optimism to their foreseeable future,” Rahmon said.

 “I am convinced that the practical implementation of the agreements reached will become an important factor in the effective and long-term development of Tajik-Turkmen interaction in accordance with the fundamental interests of our peoples,” the message says.

 “Your efforts to organize the next Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and saturate its substantive part with important regional events deserve the highest praise,” the head of Tajikistan noted.

 Emomali Rahmon also thanked Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for the initiative to present him with the «Badge of Honor of the Heads of State of Central Asia».

“I perceive this high award as a huge incentive for further vigorous activity on the comprehensive development of constructive cooperation between the countries of the region, based on strong historical traditions,” the letter says.

 The SCO is a permanent regional international organization founded in June 2001 by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.  India and Pakistan joined the SCO in June 2017.  Four more countries – Belarus, Iran, Mongolia and Afghanistan have observer status in the organization, and six – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, Sri Lanka – are dialogue partners.

 The main tasks of the SCO are the strengthening of stability and security in the space of the member states, the fight against terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, the development of economic cooperation, energy partnership, scientific and cultural interaction.  Economic cooperation within the SCO covers the fields of energy, transport, agriculture, telecommunications and other sectors.