By Ankit Panda
Afghanistan has formally asked to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), first founded by by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in 2001, is in the middle of a quiet identity crisis. As I wrote earlier this year, the prospect of both India and Pakistan joining the group will considerably change the nature and “like-mindedness” of the grouping. It appears that now Afghanistan is throwing its hat into the SCO ring for full membership. Dmitry Mezentsev, the general secretary of the SCO, confirmed on Friday that Afghanistan is seeking to become a full member of the organization, Afghanistan’s Pajhwok news agency reports.
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