International Relations at Turning Point: Russia, China and Expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Itar-Tass
June 3, 2012

SCO enlargement to give fresh boost to organization

MOSCOW: Moscow stands for the enlargement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which will give it a fresh boost, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Xinhua ahead of the SCO Beijing summit.

“Obviously, regional security threats may be deterred efficiency with collective efforts only,” he said, referring to the SCO summit consideration of the observer status of Afghanistan and the partner status of Turkey. “In this context there is no alternative to the enlargement of the SCO, an interest in which is growing steadily inside and outside of the region. We are confident that the admission of such countries as India and Pakistan, which have observer status at present, will strengthen the SCO potential and international authority. The ‘fresh blood’ will give a boost to the organization and promote its modernization.”

“SCO enlargement aspects are under consideration. Financial, legal and administrative terms of the admission of new members are being coordinated. That is the mandatory homework any international organization must do while preparing for its enlargement,” the minister said.

“Meanwhile, observers and partners already have wide opportunities for contributing to SCO activity. We welcome the official appeals of Afghanistan for observer status and of Turkey for partner status. Hopefully, the chiefs of SCO states will support these appeals at the Beijing summit,” Lavrov said.

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Itar-Tass
June 3, 2012

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has great plans for future

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“International relations are at a turning point,” the Russian minister stated. “Changes in these relations are accompanied by rising turbulence at the global and regional levels. The dangerous unbalancing of the entire system of global administration takes place before our own eyes.”

“Aftermaths of the financial and economic crisis have not been overcome up to the end; negative factors in the world economy which can bring about its second wave continue piling up,” the minister stressed. “The conflict potential persists, and threats to security multiply.”

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MOSCOW: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has great plans for future, sad on Sunday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview with the Xinhua news agency on the eve of the SCO summit in Beijing next week.

“International relations are at a turning point,” the Russian minister stated. “Changes in these relations are accompanied by rising turbulence at the global and regional levels. The dangerous unbalancing of the entire system of global administration takes place before our own eyes.”

“Aftermaths of the financial and economic crisis have not been overcome up to the end; negative factors in the world economy which can bring about its second wave continue piling up,” the minister stressed. “The conflict potential persists, and threats to security multiply.”

“Under these conditions, the SCO priority task remains regional security and stability, consolidation of the potential of responding to various threats and countering terrorism, separatism, extremism, illicit drug trafficking and transborder organized crime,” Lavrov emphasized.

In the minister’s words, the upcoming meeting of the SCO heads of state in Beijing on June 6-7 “will be an important stage of consolidating cooperation in tackling problems the Organisation faces”. “The leaders of our countries will have to sign a Declaration on building a region of a lasting peace and joint prosperity,” the minister informed.

“A serious conceptual document is submitted for the consideration of the heads of state: Guidelines of a SCO development strategy for a mid-term perspective, formulating the key benchmarks for further development of our association.”

“Of great importance will be the approval of a new wording of the Regulations on political and diplomatic measures and mechanisms for responding to situations, putting into jeopardy peace, security and stability in the region, drafted with an account for experience and lessons of the dynamically changing international situation,” Lavrov continued.

“Struggle against the drug threat also assumes top importance for security of our region.”

“The SCO now is a closely-knit group of like-minded people, firmly bent on developing actively a trustworthy political dialogue, equal and mutually advantageous economic and humanitarian cooperation as well as on expanding international relations,” the minister said in conclusion.

“I’m sure that our Organisation has good prospects and great future.”
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Xinhua News Agency
June 3, 2012

Russia-China relations at “unprecedented high”: Russian FM

MOSCOW: Relations between Russia and China have reached unprecedented high levels, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says in an interview ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to China.

Top leaders of the two countries are expected to discuss the expansion of bilateral cooperation in various fields during Putin’s state visit to China on June 5-7, Lavrov said.

Since Russia and China signed the Treaty on Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation in 2001, the two countries have witnessed many breakthroughs in the development of their relations, Lavrov told Xinhua in a written interview.

He listed some of the achievements, including an overall settlement of the border issues, a record high of 80 billion U.S. dollars in bilateral trade in 2011, the strategic cooperation in the energy sector, the launches of reciprocal National Years and Years of Languages, and close coordination in international affairs.

“During Putin’s visit, officials from both Russia and China are going to sign a joint communique on relations and their entrepreneurs will sign a number of agreements,” Lavrov said.

The two countries will also explore ways of further promoting their trade and economic relations, including how to optimize their bilateral trade structure, ensure rational use and protection of cross-border water resources, and conducting joint border inspections, he added.

Since the leaders of the two countries decided to upgrade their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination based on equality, mutual trust and support, common prosperity and lasting friendship, the countries have made concerted efforts to further their relations, Lavrov said.

On the political front, the two sides have agreed to continue enhancing mutual trust, promoting high-level exchanges and providing mutual support in efforts to safeguard their own sovereignty, state unity, and territorial integrity; On the economic front, the two countries have set a goal for bilateral trade to reach 100 billion U.S. dollars in 2015 and 200 billion dollars in 2020, Lavrov said.

Besides, both Russia and China have strived to boost people-to-people and cultural exchanges and deepen their military cooperation, he said.

Meanwhile, Moscow and Beijing have carried out close cooperation in global and regional organizations, such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Group of 20 (G20) and the BRICS, he said.

The two sides have also actively coordinated with each other on the world’s hot-spots, including the situation in West Asia and North Africa and the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, he added.

“Russia-China cooperation at all levels in international affairs has set a good example for other countries to harmonize their positions and solve the most complicated global problems,” Lavrov said.

Sharing similar positions on many international issues, the two countries have conducted close coordination in response to the fundamental changes of global geopolitics and economy, the Russian foreign minister said.

“Russia and China have common core interests. They hold similar stances on the ongoing profound changes in the world and similar approaches to new challenges,” Lavrov said.

“Russia and China support building a multi-polar world, establishing a more just and democratic global political and economic system, and enhancing the UN’s central role in coordinating and resolving hot international issues,” he said.

Russia-China cooperation on the international arena has “facilitated global peace and stability,” he said.

With regard to the upcoming 12th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the SCO which Putin will attend, Lavrov said the meeting is of great significance to consolidating cooperation among SCO member states.

According to Lavrov, the leaders are expected to endorse a number of documents during their meeting and review the proposal to accept Afghanistan as an observer state and Turkey as a dialogue partner.

Only through joint efforts can countries counter the threats to regional security, Lavrov said, adding that the SCO is becoming a key factor in safeguarding regional security and stability.

The expansion of the SCO “would strengthen the organization’s potential and raise its international prestige. New blood would bring extra energy to the SCO,” he said.

Established on 15 June, 2001 in Shanghai, the SCO is an intergovernmental international organization which groups Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Its observer states include India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan, while its dialogue partners are Belarus and Sri Lanka.

The 12th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the SCO will be held in Beijing on June 6-7.