By Trend News Agency

Joining the EU is not the only option, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, the Turkish Milliyet newspaper reported Nov. 20.

“Turkey is discussing the issue of joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),” President Erdogan said.

EU leaders and Turkey have agreed a comprehensive plan that opens a safe and legal route to the EU for Syrian refugees while reducing irregular migration.

The plan finalizes the one-for-one principle that EU leaders and Turkey provisionally agreed on March 7: all new irregular migrants crossing from Turkey into Greek islands will be returned to Turkey; and for every Syrian returned to Turkey from Greek islands, another Syrian will be resettled from Turkey to the EU.