Erdogan Pushes for Turkey's Full Membership in SCO

President Tayyip Erdogan expressed Turkey's desire to become a full partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and not just a dialogue partner. He also discussed the possibility of reviving the Black Sea grain corridor during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During a recent summit in Astana, President Tayyip Erdogan highlighted Turkey's ambitions to secure full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), instead of merely being recognised as a dialogue partner. Erdogan emphasized that there was no reason for Turkey not to be a permanent member of the group.

'We are saying to include us here not as a dialogue partner, but as a partner to the organisation like the others,' Erdogan asserted to reporters on his return flight. Although he acknowledged that the process might be protracted, he remains optimistic.

Additionally, Erdogan's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin brought into focus the potential revival of the Black Sea grain corridor, which facilitated safe grain shipments amidst the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, but had been disrupted last year.

(Disclaimer: With inputs from agencies.)