Moscow, Jul 4 (IANS): The 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) kicked off on Thursday in Astana, with Belarus officially becoming a member of the association.

The summit began with an official ceremony where all relevant documents for the country's membership were signed, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Dear heads of state, a decision on the full membership of the Republic of Belarus in the SCO has been made," Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced, congratulating Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Lukashenko, in turn, noted that Minsk will strive to expand the SCO's influence and broaden its circle of allies and supporters.

The SCO summit is currently being held in Astana, with attendance by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, India, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Turkmenistan, and the SCO Secretary-General and the Executive Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.