SCO summit kicks off in Astana with official handshake ceremony
The meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has kicked off in Astana with the official handshake ceremony with the participation of the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan and foreign dignitaries representing SCO member states, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs of India, was the first to walk the blue carpet of the SCO summit in Astana to shake hands with the Kazakh President.
Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, was the next to be greeted by the Head of State on the blue carpet.
Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif joined his colleagues at the Palace of Independence in Astana and shook hands with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Then, the Head of State greeted acting President of Iran Mohammad Mokhber at the SCO summit in the Kazakh capital.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev also walked the blue carpet to shake hands and pose for photos with his Kazakhstani counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The longest-serving President among SCO leaders Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan joined the handshake event at the Palace of Independence.
Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus which is expected to access the SCO at today’s summit was also seen on the blue carpet to be greeted by the Kazakh leader.
After Lukashenko, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was the next to join Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the blue carpet and shake hands.
Xi Jinping, the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, was the last one to join his counterparts at the SCO summit and do the symbolic handshake with Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
