There is a certain consensus in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Belarus joining it as a full member. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Friday following a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CMD) of SCO member states.

"I emphasize that there is a consensus to start accession of Belarus [to the SCO] as a full member," said the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, replying to a question of TASS about the prospects of Minsk to obtain the status of a full member of the SCO.

Lavrov reminded that last year Iran received "officially candidate status" in the SCO and has already begun the process of its full membership. "The relevant documents will be adopted additionally [at the SCO summit] in Samarkand," he noted. "There are a number of applicants for observer status, for the status of dialogue partners. A number of Arab countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan and a number of Asian countries have expressed this interest. We will continue our consultations at the level of foreign ministries before the summit. I am convinced that we will be able to make relevant recommendations to the heads of state."

The SCO summit will take place on September 15-16 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Belarus is an SCO observer state. The republic has applied for membership in the organization.