Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that Türkiye would seek to deepen cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which he described as a "rising star."
"We will strive to advance our cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which we see as a rising star, in every field," Erdogan said at the SCO Plus meeting in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.
"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, representing 3.5 billion people and $35 trillion in gross domestic product, is an indispensable element of a multipolar order," he added.
He said Türkiye was taking responsibility for resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy and would continue working for peace, tranquility and stability around the world.
"We believe that the organization will play a role not only in ensuring peace and stability, but also in establishing secure transportation corridors and ensuring energy supply security," Erdogan also said.
He noted that Türkiye aimed to do its part in combating the negative effects of climate change and would host the COP31 summit in Antalya on Nov. 11-12.
"We want the Caspian-crossing Middle Corridor initiative to be aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative and attach great importance to cooperation within the organization," Erdogan added.
Referring to Gaza and Lebanon, Erdogan said 74,000 people had been killed in Israeli attacks and warned that the entire region was paying the price for what he called an aggressive policy.
"The Mecca Defense Alliance, based on regional ownership and collective deterrence, will make significant contributions to regional and global peace and stability," Erdogan also noted.
