Uzbekistan wants to act as a bridge to address conflicts between members

Uzbekistan, which holds the presidency of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), has offered to act as a bridge to address conflicts among member states and observer states of the grouping, without referring to differences between India and China, or between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Uzbekistan is preparing to sign a Comprehensive Plan for implementation of SCO Treaty on Long-term Good-neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation for 2023-2027 at the SCO summit as part of its efforts to build bridges, ET has learnt.

While a meeting between PM Modi and China's Xi Jinping during the two-day summit hangs in balance, the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict has cast shadow on the summit with the Armenian PM pulling out at the last moment. Armenia and Azerbaijan are observers at SCO.

Sodiq Safoyev, deputy chairman of Uzbekistan senate, told a select group of reporters on Thursday that the Samarkand SCO summit shows Uzbekistan's growing influence and position at the international level.