SCO observer mission continues work in Turkey

On 21 June, 2018, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Vladimir Potapenko met in Ankara with Under Secretary for North Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Eastern Europe of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Ambassador Umit Yalcin within the framework of an SCO observer mission to monitor preparations for and the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections in the Turkish Republic.

Mr Potapenko thanked the Turkish side for inviting the SCO mission to supervise the most important event in the political and social life of the Turkish Republic — the Parliamentary and Presidential elections — and confirmed that the SCO mission was ready to ensure impartial and objective election monitoring.

The sides discussed a range of matters concerning cooperation between the SCO and Turkey as an SCO dialogue partner state.

The high-ranking Turkish diplomat thanked the SCO mission for the visit and said: "For years, Turkey has cooperated with the organisation as an observer state. We know the organisation well and see how its activity is expanding and intensifying."

Yalcin added that Turkey is a fraternal country to all SCO member states and that it invariably strives to make a positive contribution to strengthening mutual understanding and trust on key SCO platforms.