SCO Summit Expectations

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit is taking place in a radically changed environment. Firstly, all member states are now showing a spirit of unity and cooperation, as they are using their individual advantages to ensure positive changes in each nation’s key macroeconomic indicators and to overcome the challenges of the international financial crisis. Secondly, SCO members have reinforced their consultation and cooperation on work to counter terrorism, the spread of drugs and religious extremism. These efforts have had a clear effect in stabilizing the region. Thirdly, the SCO has taken a series of practical measures in knowledge and cultural exchanges, under which there are frequent and in-depth personnel exchanges. In addition, the SCO has made solid progress in its work setting up universities.

It is also worth noting that recently, as an important member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Russia has acted so positively and actively in global, regional and a range of peripheral issues that it’s hard for us to believe the enormous difficulties Russia faced as a result of the financial crisis. Bilateral relations between Russia and America, which deteriorated in recent years, have taken a positive turn after the “resetting” process; bilateral relations between Russia and Ukraine have significantly improved following Ukraine’s presidential election; Russia’s political influence has expanded following the political changes in Kyrgyzstan; even in the difficult and sensitive time following the Polish president’s plane crash in April, Russia saw an improvement in diplomatic relations with Poland. All this demonstrates Russia’s particular influence in Eurasia, and especially in Central Asia.

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