In an interview with Interfax, Russian Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov said he is confident that the Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO) will expand after some time but rejects speculations that the organization will become an alternative to NATO.

"The Shanghai Co-operation Organization will by no means be an alternative to NATO because it is primarily an economic organization," he said.

However, he said it was evident that SCO will be growing.

Mironov spoke of the prospects of interparliamentary co-operation in the framework of SCO. He said he held consultations on the creation of a regular mechanism of interparliamentary dialogue in the framework of SCO with the majority of the heads of parliaments of member nations.

"It is the common opinion of participants in consultations that a multilateral mechanism of regular contacts between parliaments is necessary because the number of common problems is steadily growing," Mironov said.

Mironov spoke for greater involvement of SCO lawmakers in tackling the problems of economic integration, resistance to terrorism, humanitarian co-operation and immigration.

"The development of a mechanism of interparliamentary co-operation between SCO member nations will promote the effectiveness of the organization and its influence on the international arena," he said.

Source: China Daily