Erdogan says Turkey would consider full membership of China-, Russia-led security bloc

NATO member Turkey would consider taking its relations with the China and Russia-led security bloc, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, to a higher level, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

"Turkey's prospect of (full) membership to the organization does not imply a breakaway from any other bloc or from the West," Erdogan said, according to a transcript of remarks he made to journalists on his return flight from Kyrgyzstan.

Erdogan attended a summit of the SCO, of which Turkey is a "dialog partner," in Bishkek on Tuesday.