On 14 February, SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic Miroslav Lajcak on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
During the meeting Mr Norov informed his counterpart about the current activities being undertaken by the SCO to provide peace and stability in Central Asia and pointed out the important role being played in this process by the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). He underscored that the SCO is not a military bloc targeting any other countries and international associations, but that it is an open organisation intended for broad international cooperation.
The Secretary-General said that the SCO is ready to develop constructive practical contacts with the OSCE and the EU, in which Slovakia can also play a weighty role.
The Slovak Foreign Minister noted the high international authority enjoyed by the SCO and stressed the SCO's meaningful part in maintaining regional security, including in the context of neutralising challenges and threats coming from Afghanistan.
Miroslav Lajcak stated the importance of maintaining dialogue and advancing cooperation between multilateral organisations in Eurasia with a view to strengthening mutual confidence and ensuring joint sustainable development.
The meeting proceeded in a businesslike and constructive manner.