National coordinators enter upon finalisation and approval of SCO Heads of Government Council documents

On 28 October 2019, the meeting of the SCO Council of National Coordinators started at the office of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Executive Committee in Tashkent.

SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov presented his opening remarks at the meeting and informed the participants about the process of finalising the documents to be submitted to the SCO Heads of Government Council. He mentioned the results of the ministry and expert meetings held in August and September, when a range of important HGC documents aimed at further developing the multilateral trade and economic cooperation, environmental protection and promotion of cooperation between railway administrations, customs offices and economic analytical centres were approved.

Mr Norov presented a thank-you letter to Hazarika Bhagat on the occasion of the completion of her mission as the Indian National Coordinator for the SCO and wished her every success in her new job as the Indian Ambassador to Cyprus.

He also welcomed the newly appointed national coordinators from India and Kazakhstan: Yojna Patel and Yerlik Ali.

First Deputy Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Ilkhom Nematov also presented his welcoming remarks, noting the importance of this event, which was among the concluding meetings under Uzbekistan's chairmanship at the Heads of Government Council. He called on all sides to develop a friendly and constructive approach while agreeing upon the entire package of the SCO HGC documents.

During his speech, Director of the RATS Executive Committee Dzhumakhon Giyosov welcomed the participants in the meeting at the new Executive Committee office and wished them every success in their work.

At the meeting, the national coordinators will finalise and approve a draft agenda of the SCO Heads of Government Council meeting, a list of the documents to be signed, a joint communiqué and several important decisions of the Council in the trade, economic and cultural spheres, aimed at further improving the SCO activities.

The participants will also have to discuss the draft Plan of Events for 2020, as well as the preparations for upcoming SCO ministry meetings and other current issues.

The meeting will come to a close on 31 October 2019.