OREANDA-NEWS. June 07, 2012. The eighth meeting of the Interbank Consortium of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was held under the chairmanship of the China Development Bank in Beijing on June 5, 2012.

 The Consortium comprises the leading financial institutions, recommended by governments of each participating country of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization: the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, the China Development Bank, the Vnesheconombank of Russia, the National Bank of Tajikistan, the National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity of Uzbekistan and the Settlement and Savings Company of Kyrgyzstan.

 One of the key issues on the agenda of the meeting was taking decision on inclusion of Belarusbank into the Consortium.

 Belarusbank was granted the "bank-partner" status by a unanimous decision of the Consortium member banks.

 Thus, Belarusbank became the first bank-partner to be awarded this status since the foundation of the Consortium in 2005.

 According to the leaders of financial institutions of the Consortium this event is historical and represents a new stage in the Consortium activities, which aim at developing financial partnership with all regions interested in expanding cooperation with SCO member states.