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As Russia's Special Presidential Envoy to the SCO, Director of the Asian and Pacific Cooperation Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Bakhtier Khakimov pointed out at a news conference on February 13, 2015, the SCO has so far received membership applications from Pakistan, Iran and India, while Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Syria are seeking observer status.
According to him, several related issues need to be addressed before taking such an important decision. One of them concerns the ability to meet certain obligations, the most important of which is the commitment to fully comply with the 27 conditions set forth in applicable SCO documents. "The procedure provided in these documents is specific, straightforward and clear, but does not specify deadlines," he said. "How fast an applicant country completes the process depends on that country. It can take a month or two, or it can take a year." The ambassador is confident that the applicant countries' membership will benefit not only the SCO, but the countries themselves as well.