Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.

SCO Summit in Uzbekistan

by Oui Thu Sep 15th, 2022 at 11:31:40 AM EST

The Western nations propagate Russian president Putin isolated and confined to the Kremlin ...


Russia elated over Iran joining SCO, says Putin | TASS |

On many international issues Moscow and Tehran have close or coinciding positions, the president stressed at a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the SCO summit.

    "As we agreed with you, we have done everything for Iran to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Our partners in this organization have supported your application, all that is left is one last formality. It is indeed a formality, and Iran is joining this already serious, large and authoritative international organization."
The current members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, founded in 2001, are India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The observer countries are Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia; the partner countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, and Sri Lanka. The current SCO summit in Samarkand is expected to finalize the admission of Iran and grant the status of a dialogue partner to Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Missing the UAE which nation is aligned with Israel, the UK and the US.

Erdogan: Armenia's provocations are unacceptable

”I pray for God's mercy to our brothers who were martyred during the clashes on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border, and I wish recovery to the wounded. I offer my condolences to the people of Azerbaijan, including my brother President Ilham Aliyev. As always, the whole world should know that we are with our Azerbaijani brothers," Erdogan said.

A week ago: Uzbekistan warming ties to Gulf Council States ...

Leadership Role of America After Defeat by Taliban in Afghanistan ...

Display:
See earlier post by Cat ...
Let's recap, NATO does not possess sufficient oil, gas, coal, sundry rare earth mineral reserves

An elemental issue | Sept. 2019 |

The U.S. military is facing a potential crisis at the very bottom of its supply chain. Rare-earth elements have become the new oil, playing a major role in the technological advancements made in the last 50 years. Everything from GPS navigation capability, cell phones, fiber optics, computers, automobiles and missiles relies heavily on rare-earth elements for development and production.

The "rare" in rare-earth elements is a historical misnomer; the persistence of the term reflects unfamiliarity with the elements rather than true scarcity. The U.S. Geological Survey finds the more abundant rare-earth elements are as common in concentration as other industrial metals such as chromium, nickel, tungsten or lead. Even the two least abundant rare-earth elements (thulium and lutetium) are nearly 200 times more common than gold.

The rare-earth supply problem will have no easy solutions. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, it would take 15 years to overhaul the defense supply chain, meaning that any changes to it need considerable lead time. The American Mineral Security Act, passed in 2015, is meant to determine which minerals are critical and diversify the supply chain, according to the NATO Association of Canada.

Chinese efforts to monopolize rare earth do not end with domestic sources. China has aggressively pursued rare-earth mines in Africa, often exchanging infrastructure development or the sale of excess defense articles for exclusive mining rights. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, China gained rights to the country's lithium, cobalt and coltan mines. These minerals are used in electric vehicle batteries and electronics, including smartphones and laptops. In exchange, China agreed to build much-needed projects such as urban roads, highways and hospitals.

Kenya is another Chinese target. The East African nation has huge mineral potential, and its exploration efforts have picked up in the last five years with the awarding of commercial licenses in prospecting for oil, gold, coal, geothermal minerals and rare earths. In April 2019, Kenya secured $666 million from China to build a data center in a tech city (likely comprising data centers designed to facilitate internet and communications) currently under construction in Konza, about an hour from Nairobi.

Other African countries in China's crosshairs include Cameroon, Angola, Tanzania and Zambia. Tanzania is of particular interest because of the presence of several military-critical rare earths, including neodymium and praseodymium, which are key components in precision-guided munition technology.

China has also become a significant new economic actor in Latin America and the Caribbean. China-Latin America trade increased from almost negligible levels in 1990 to $10 billion in 2000 and $270 billion in 2012; the largest portion of this exchange takes place between South America and China. In 2012, an $8.4 billion rare-earth deposit was discovered in Brazil. Over the past few years, China has become Brazil's undisputed top trade partner.

As GWB started the Iraq war, I wrote about Chinese 🇨🇳 investments in America's backyard 😂

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 15th, 2022 at 06:19:14 PM EST
CSTO (1992 mil): AM, BY, KZ, KG, TJ, RU
SCO (2001 NGO): CN, RU, IN, PK, KZ, KG, TJ, UZ, AM*, AF*, AZ*, BY*, TR*, LK*, KH*, SA*, IR*, EG*
EaEU (2012 FTA): AM, BY, KZ, KG, TJ, RU, VN*, CN*, RS*
BRICS (2009 FTA): CN, RU, BR, IN, ZA; AR*, DZ*, EG*, ID*, IR*, CM*, ML*, SN*, TH*, UZ*, FJ*, ET*, KZ*
CEPA (2003 FTA): CN-hk, CN-mo, NZ, ASEAN, EU, AU, MV, GE*
CPEC (2015 FTA): CN, PK, MN*, RU*, KZ*, KG*, TJ*, AF*, IN*
UTLC (2018 TNC): CN, KZ, RU, BY
INSTC (2000 TNC): AM, AZ, BY, BG, IN, IR, KZ, KG, OM, RU, TJ, TR, UA, SY

Today is another day when NATO media consumers wouldn't have any reason to believe that anyone but PUTIN and XI took a meeting in Samarkand, UZ. Or that the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) that concluded last week--during the Ukraine's tide-turning BATTLE for Iz*um--is a trade convention jointly hosted by and for EaEU and SCO * members, observers, and dialogue partners.

While publicly warning G7 corps with CHIP 4 sanctions against China and distributing KIRBY-CONTENT instead of the SCO Joint Communique following the 20th Meeting of the Council

"We don't think anybody should be on the sidelines," White House spokesman John Kirby told [MSM] on Thursday as Chinese President Xi Jinping met Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in Uzbekistan. "The whole world should be lined up against what Mr. Putin is doing....This is not the time for any kind of business as usual with Mr. Putin," Kirby added.
NATO broadcasters haved salvaged a moment from UKRAINE solidarity coverage to animate paranormal analyses of PUTIN "readout" and XI "concerns".
CNN | Putin concedes China has `questions and concerns' over Russia's faltering invasion of Ukraine, 15 Sep
by Cat on Thu Sep 15th, 2022 at 09:15:33 PM EST
President Xi Jinping Meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin, 15 Sep (EN) full site access
On the afternoon of 15 September local time, President Xi Jinping held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Forumlar Majmuasi Complex in Samarkand to exchange views on China-Russia relations and international and regional issues of shared interest.

President Xi noted that since the beginning of this year, China and Russia have maintained effective strategic communication. Bilateral cooperation in the various fields has moved forward steadily, with activities of the Year of Sports Exchange well underway, and a robust momentum in sub-national cooperation and people-to-people exchange. The two countries have maintained close coordination on the international stage to uphold basic norms of international relations. In the face of changes of the world, of our times and of history, China will work with Russia to fulfill their responsibilities as major countries and play a leading role in injecting stability into a world of change and disorder.

President Xi emphasized that China will work with Russia to extend strong mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests, and deepen practical cooperation in trade, agriculture, connectivity and other areas. The two sides need to enhance coordination and cooperation under multilateral frameworks including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and the BRICS to promote solidarity and mutual trust among the various parties, expand practical cooperation, and safeguard the security interests of the region as well as the common interests of the developing countries and emerging markets....

just business, nothing personal
by Cat on Thu Sep 15th, 2022 at 09:19:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
[kremlin.ru format] Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, 15 Sep (EN)
In Samarkand, on the sidelines of the SCO summit, Vladimir Putin and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping held bilateral talks.
- - - - - - -
Vladimir Putin: Dear Comrade Xi Jinping! Dear friend!

Dear Chinese colleagues!

I am glad to welcome all of you to the meeting.

I would like to note that the Chairman and I met six months ago in Olympic Beijing, and many events have taken place during this time. The world is rapidly changing, but only one thing remains unchanged: the friendship between China and Russia, our good and in the full sense of the word strategic comprehensive partnership, and we continue to strengthen these relations.

On the eve of the upcoming 20th Congress of the Communist Party in October, I would like to wish you, dear Comrade Chairman, further success in implementing the large-scale plan for the dynamic development of the Chinese nation.

Russian-Chinese interstate cooperation can be considered a model. The foreign policy tandem of Moscow and Beijing plays a key role in ensuring global and regional stability. We jointly stand for the formation of a just, democratic and multipolar world order based on international law and the central role of the UN, and not on some rules that someone has come up with and is trying to impose on others, without even explaining what it is.

In general, I must say that the attempts to create a unipolar world have recently acquired an absolutely ugly shape and are absolutely unacceptable for the vast majority of states on the planet.

We highly appreciate the balanced position of our Chinese friends in connection with the Ukrainian crisis. We understand your questions and concerns in this regard. During today's meeting, of course, we will explain in detail our position on this issue, although we have spoken about this before.

For our part, we firmly adhere to the One China principle. We condemn the provocations of the United States and its satellites in the Taiwan Strait. We talked about this with the head of parliament, Chairman [of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Li Zhanshu], most recently in Vladivostok.

Multifaceted ties between our countries are actively developing. Last year, trade increased by 35 percent and exceeded $140 billion. In the first seven months of this year, the volume of mutual trade increased by another 25 percent. I am convinced that by the end of the year we will reach new record levels, and in the near future, as agreed, we will increase our annual trade turnover to $200 billion or more.

Tomorrow we are to take part in the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. I would like to note that after a three-year break caused by the pandemic, it will be held in person. Now this is especially important, since the task is to ensure the all-round strengthening of the SCO as a platform for constructive and constructive interaction.

The organization includes countries with different cultural and civilizational traditions, foreign policy guidelines and models of national development, however, building work on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, respect for each other's sovereignty and refusal to interfere in internal affairs made it possible to turn this organization into a an effective mechanism for multilateral cooperation.

Today it is the largest regional organization in the world, which has united a vast geographical area and about half of the population of our planet.

I am sure that our today's meeting will give an additional impetus to the deepening of the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership both on a bilateral basis and internationally.

Thank you.

Xi Jinping (retranslated RU->EN) : Dear President Putin! My dear and old friend!

I am very glad to our new meeting.

In February of this year, we were pleased to celebrate together the day of the beginning of spring and the opening of the Winter Olympics, and discuss grandiose plans for the development of Chinese-Russian relations.

In the context of a global pandemic, we continue to maintain effective strategic contacts, in particular through telephone conversations.

In the face of the colossal changes of our time on a global scale, unprecedented in the history of our time, we are ready, together with our Russian colleagues, to set an example of a responsible world power and play a leading role in bringing such a rapidly changing world onto a trajectory of sustainable and positive development.

I would like to take this opportunity - I am ready to exchange views with you on the bilateral agenda, as well as on international and regional topics of mutual interest.

<...>

beat that dead horse, Kirby. Nothing else to see.
by Cat on Thu Sep 15th, 2022 at 09:32:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Guardian | Putin tells Xi he understands China's 'questions and concerns' over Ukraine, 15 Sep
Russian leader seems keen to curry favour with Chinese president as battlefield setbacks and [G7] sanctions bite
WHO?
Vladimir Putin has told Xi Jinping that he understands China's "questions and concerns" about the war in Ukraine, in a rare nod to tensions between the two states caused by the Russian invasion.

The remarks came as Xi and Putin met on Thursday for the first time since the war began, at a summit in Uzbekistan where the Russian president was expected to court the Chinese leader personally as an ally in his conflict with the west....

yahoo! reuters | UPDATE 1-White House to China: World must reject Russian action on Ukraine
"We don't think anybody should be on the sidelines," White House spokesman John Kirby told CNN in an interview on Thursday as Chinese President Xi Jinping met Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in Uzbekistan. "The whole world should be lined up against what Mr. Putin is doing. ... This is not the time for any kind of business as usual with Mr. Putin," Kirby added.
PSYCH!

China Daily | Xi, Putin vow support for nations' core interests
--SAIC's new EV to help China become leading vehicle export power
"Now with the arrival of the MG4 EV, SAIC said Europe will become the first overseas market where its annual sales will reach 100,000 units this year."
--China's battery producer CATL officially launches Hungarian plant
"The CATL factory in Debrecen will create 9,000 new jobs, according to [HU Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter] Szijjarto."
Global Times | Xi, Putin meet at SCO summit, forging closer ties amid US-caused world turbulence

by Cat on Thu Sep 15th, 2022 at 09:57:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
by Cat on Thu Sep 15th, 2022 at 11:42:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Dutch news coverage of SCO Summit was quite limited ... showed the handshake of Vlad and Xi and mentioned the criticism and worry of China on Ukraine. No mention of other leaders or the content of the Summit. Just another hit piece on Putin #propaganda #gaskrise #energypoverty .

'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Sep 16th, 2022 at 07:12:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001 by six countries, People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

The members of the organization "consider Central Asia to be the core of the SCO and support the efforts of countries in the region to ensure prosperity and peace, sustainable development and the formation of a space of good neighborliness, trust and friendship."

Iran's Central Asia Policy Gains Momentum amid Russia-Ukraine War

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri Sep 16th, 2022 at 12:35:32 PM EST

Turkey's "dialogue partnership" status was determined during the SCO Summit in June 2012. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and the organization's secretary-general, Dmitri Mezentsev, both hailed the agreement during the signing ceremony.

"Now we declare that Turkey also shares the same fate as Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries. We are thankful for being accepted as a member of this family," Davutoğlu said. "This is only a start."

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri Sep 16th, 2022 at 03:37:19 PM EST
CSTO (1992 mil): AM, BY, KZ, KG, TJ, RU
SCO (2001 NGO): CN, RU, IN, PK, KZ, KG, TJ, UZ, AM*, AF*, AZ*, BY*, TR*, LK*, KH*, SA*, IR*, EG*

euractiv | UN hopes Armenia, Azerbaijan ceasefire holds[, again], 16 Sep

A fragile ceasefire was agreed between the two sides late on Wednesday after almost 48 hours of clashes, a senior Armenian official said on state TV. Moscow, which has a self-defence pact with Armenia and a military base in the country but also strives for friendly relations with Azerbaijan, claimed credit for brokering the deal.
[...]
Russia said on Thursday it was seeking to reverse any shift in the region's military balance that had occurred as a result of this week's fighting.

"We are in close contact with both countries so as to arrive at a sustainable ceasefire, and the return of Azerbaijani and Armenian military to their positions of origin," Russia's ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzia told the 15-member Security Council on Thursday. ...

archived  CSTO countries agreed to send a mission to Armenia 13 Sep, Baerbock Foreign Policy et seq, Kazakhstan 5 June
vOlDeMoRT: "Chinese leader warns of 'color revolutions', 16 Sep SCO
Speaking at the SCO summit in Samarkand, President Xi said that member states should "support each other's efforts to protect security and development interests," noting that the world is undergoing "accelerating changes unseen in a century," and has entered a phase of uncertainty and transformation.

He added that it is paramount to "guard against attempts by external forces to provoke a color revolution, and jointly oppose interference in other countries' internal affairs under any pretext," referring to Western-backed protests that have aimed to overthrow governments in post-Soviet countries....

English Translation of Remarks by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi at the SCO Summit, 16 Sep
English Translation of Opening Remarks by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the bilateral meeting with President of Russia, SCO 16 Sep
G7 translations of *-English developing ...
by Cat on Fri Sep 16th, 2022 at 06:01:21 PM EST
Dawn Reuters | Modi springs surprise by assailing Putin, 17 Sep "concerns"
"I know your position on the conflict in Ukraine, the concerns that you constantly express," Putin said. "We will do everything to stop this as soon as possible."
[kremlin.ru format] Meeting with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, 16 Sep
Following the SCO summit in Samarkand, Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi.
- - - - - -
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister, my friend. To my Indian friends, I would like to welcome you all once again.

Mr Prime Minister,

First of all, I want to start our meeting by personally congratulating you and the entire friendly nation of India on the holiday you celebrated last month: I mean the 75th anniversary of independence of the Republic of India. I wish India all the best.

I also know that tomorrow is your birthday, my dear friend. According to Russian tradition, you are not supposed to wish anyone an early happy birthday, therefore I can't do it, but I would like you to know that we remembered, we know about it and wish you all the best anyway, to you as well as to the people of India; we wish prosperity to the friendly country of India that you lead.

Bilateral relations can be characterised as a privileged strategic partnership, and they continue to develop actively. We are actively cooperating on international platforms and discussing all global developments, including unfavourable ones at times.

I know your position on the conflict in Ukraine and the concerns that you constantly express. We will do our best to make it stop as soon as possible. However, unfortunately, the opposing side, the leadership of Ukraine, announced that it was abandoning the negotiation process and declared that it wants to achieve its goals by military means, "on the battlefield," as they say. Nevertheless, we will always keep you informed of what is happening there.

We are actively working at the SCO, and today's summit of the SCO heads of state, which I believe was very successful, is the best proof of it. It is important that we constantly coordinate our positions despite coronavirus-related restrictions: we had telephone conversations four times, and our staff are always in touch.

I would like to thank you for your video greetings for the participants of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

I fondly recall my own visit to New Delhi last December and my fruitful talks with you. I would like to use this occasion to invite you to visit Russia.

Clearly, constructive relations are developing in the economic sphere. Trade is growing, including due to additional deliveries of Russian fertilisers to the Indian market, as you asked. The volume of fertilisers delivered from Russia to India increased by more than eight times - not by some percentage, but by more than eight times. I hope that this will help Indian farmers to manage the difficult challenge of providing food for the country's population.

Large joint projects in the oil and gas sector and in the nuclear power industry are being consistently implemented. For Russians, the rich history and ancient culture of India are traditionally of great interest, and in this regard, we propose intensifying the talks on an agreement on visa-free tourist travel. We could also think about holding cross years of Russia and India in 2024.

Thank you.

Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi (retranslated): Your Excellency, I am very glad to have an opportunity to meet with you again today. We had a chance to talk when we saw each other last time in December, during your visit to New Delhi, where we discussed a wide range of issues. And, as you said, since then we have had several telephone conversations.

Besides bilateral cooperation between Russia and India, we also discussed various global issues. We are meeting again today. Indeed, food security, energy security, and the availability of fertilisers are a major concern, especially for developing countries. Without a doubt, we need to find a solution to all these issues, and in particular, we both need to plan initiatives to this end. These issues have already been discussed today.

Your Excellency, I want to express my gratitude to both Russia and Ukraine, because when the crisis began, at first thousands of Indian students were trapped in Ukraine, but thanks to the support we received from both Russia and Ukraine, we were able to ensure the safe return of Indian students. I am grateful to both countries.

I know that now is not an age of wars. We have spoken about this many times, in particular in our telephone conversations. Democracy, diplomacy, and dialogue are important tools for us to find solutions. It is necessary to achieve peace in the future, and I am sure that we can discuss this. I welcome the opportunity to better understand your point of view.

Relations between Russia and India have significantly improved. We believe they are extremely important. We are friends, and for decades we have always stood shoulder to shoulder. The whole world is aware of the nature of Russian-Indian relations, and the world also knows the deep friendship, in particular the personal friendly ties that bind us. We first met in 2001 when I was in state government in India, and our friendship has only grown stronger ever since. In the interests of the well-being of this region, our peoples and citizens, we are once again making efforts today, in particular within the framework of the SCO summit. Thank you for the support you have shown India.

Bilateral relations, which we will also discuss today, mean that our relations will only improve and strengthen in the future, which is also useful for the whole world.

Let me once again thank you for finding time for this meeting.

<...>

by Cat on Sun Sep 18th, 2022 at 04:48:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]
👌 nice

Kirby left the Pentagon after a long career and is now spokesperson NSC, close to brain center of Joe Biden in the White House ... the propaganda is more subtle. 😂

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sun Sep 18th, 2022 at 06:01:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]
UN Under-Secretary for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo has delivered a speech at the SCO meeting.

DiCarlo at SCO Summit: Cooperation and rule of law indispensable in face of chaotic global peace and security environment

I would like to start with words of gratitude to President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan for the hospitality. It is a great pleasure to be here, on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in the famed Great Silk Road city of Samarkand.

This Summit takes place at a critical moment. Today's global peace and security environment is more volatile than in at least the last 30 years.

New crises are erupting even as our established conflict management capacities become dangerously overstretched or are crippled by geopolitical tensions.

We are feeling the strain of the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. And climate change exacerbates risks and creates new sources of stress, particularly in conflict environments.

Perhaps the most perilous aspect of this seemingly chaotic environment is that it feeds on itself, breeding more instability and mistrust in a vicious cycle. And the risk of catastrophic miscalculation or escalation only grows.

In the face of these challenges, a multilateral system based on cooperation and the rule of law remains indispensable if we are to build more peaceful societies.

This vision is at the core of the Secretary-General's report on "Our Common Agenda", which includes the drafting of a New Agenda for Peace. The report offers a far-reaching vision for sustainable peace, development and human rights.

Excellencies,

Among the key proposals in "Our Common Agenda" is strengthening United Nations partnerships with regional and subregional organizations.

This is integral to the UN Secretary-General's vision for a networked multilateralism. It is also essential for our preventive engagements and conflict resolution efforts worldwide.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a leading player in facilitating the exchange on regional peace and security in Eurasia.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sat Sep 17th, 2022 at 10:33:16 PM EST


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sat Sep 17th, 2022 at 10:34:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
fmprc | Ride on the Trend of the Times and Enhance Solidarity and Cooperation to Embrace a Better Future, 16 Sep full text
First, we need to enhance mutual support. We should strengthen high-level exchanges and strategic communication, deepen mutual understanding and political trust, and support each other in our efforts to uphold security and development interests. We should guard against attempts by external forces to instigate "color revolution", jointly oppose interference in other countries' internal affairs under any pretext, and hold our future firmly in our own hands.

Second, we need to expand security cooperation. A proverb in Uzbekistan goes to the effect that "With peace, a country enjoys prosperity, just as with rain, the land can flourish." The Global Security Initiative put forward by China is to address the peace deficit and global security challenges. It calls on all countries to stay true to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture. We welcome all stakeholders to get involved in implementing this initiative....

uh oh
We need to ensure implementation of the roadmap for SCO member states to expand shares of local currency settlement, better develop the system for cross-border payment and settlement in local currencies, work for the establishment of an SCO development bank, and thus speed up regional economic integration. Next year, China will host an SCO ministers' meeting on development cooperation and an industrial and supply chains forum, and will set up the China-SCO Big Data Cooperation Center to create new engines of common development. China stands ready to carry out space cooperation with all other parties and provide satellite data service to support them in agricultural development, connectivity and disaster mitigation and relief....
Gen Sec SCO | SCO member states signed memorandums on granting SCO dialogue partner status to the Arab Republic of Egypt [EG] and the State of Qatar [QA], 14 Sep
irna | Iran's permanent membership in SCO becomes official, 16 Sep
by Cat on Sun Sep 18th, 2022 at 12:25:24 AM EST
by Cat on Sun Sep 18th, 2022 at 12:29:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]
G7 experts released fresh strand of KIRBY-CONTENT 'concerns' today depicting G7-brand PUTIN "isolation" at EEF and SCO events, thereby inevitablity economic collapse of the RF. It's clear to me that neither writer hasn't a clue about regional project development, scope, or scale achieved over the past 20 years despite G7 sanctions against various members of SCO, ASEAN, EaEU, CSTO, and APEC. And I suppose, they do not read business press or even member-states' ministerial reports.

DW | Why Vladimir Putin's new Russian 'pivot to Asia' will fail, 19 Sep

"I would say another failure, since, again, Russia doesn't have a lot to offer the region strategically or economically," said Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Moscow needed to "move onto a path of peace" after attending a regional summit [SCO] with Putin in Uzbekistan last week. Putin has publicly acknowledged that Chinese President Xi Jinping had "questions and concerns" about the war.

Commentators® reckon that Moscow has made itself an even more "junior partner" of Beijing's < wipes tears > since its invasion of Ukraine.

euractiv | Samarkand blues, 19 Sep

things in Uzbekistan's capital, Samarkand, didn't unfold as Moscow had hoped. First, the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, told Putin that the "era of war" is over, articulating for the first time in public his country's discomfort with Russia's attack on Ukraine.

Then, after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin himself had to admit that his counterpart had "questions and concerns" about the situation in Ukraine.

Adding insult to injury, several leaders, including the president of the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan, kept Putin waiting in front of cameras, just like Turkey's Erdogan famously did last July.
[...]
The photos of Putin in Samarkand show a lonely and distressed man.

Nothing in any joint communique or individual "readout" implies Putin's command of "multilateral" negotiations, endorsed or adopted G7 sanctions, or deviated from the principal mission of these FTAs. Ukraine is not their "concern." To the contrary: G7-sponsored "separatism" across the continent draws attention to that group's trail of diplomatic failures and hostility to non-aligned nations.  
mea.gov.in |Samarkand Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 16 Sep

21. The Member States noted the results of the joint anti-terrorism exercises of the competent authorities of the SCO member states "Pabbi - Anti-Terror - 2021" and the joint border operation of the border services of the competent authorities of the SCO member states "Solidarity - 2019-2021", as well as the effective presidency of the Republic of India in the SCO RATS Council (2021-2022).

22. The Member States consider it necessary to implement the decision of the SCO CHS on improvement of mechanisms to counter challenges and threats to security of the SCO Member States taking into account the relevant initiatives on establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Anti-Drug Centre in Dushanbe as a separate permanent body (Republic of Tajikistan); on establishment of the Universal Centre to Counter Challenges and Threats to Security of the SCO member-states based on the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure in Tashkent city.
[...]
47. The Member States proceed from the premise that there is no alternative to political and diplomatic solutions to conflict situations in various regions of the world on the basis of strict compliance with generally recognized norms and principles of international law.

The SCO Member States believe that one of the most important factors in preserving and strengthening security and stability in the SCO region is the speedy settlement of the situation in Afghanistan. They support the establishment of Afghanistan as an independent, neutral, united, democratic and peaceful State, free of terrorism, war and drugs.

Member States believe that it is critical to have an inclusive Government in Afghanistan, with representatives from all ethnic, religious and political groups of Afghan society.

The Member States, underlining the value of the long-standing hospitality and effective assistance extended by regional and neighbouring countries to Afghan refugees, consider the active engagement of the international community in facilitating their dignified, safe and sustainable return to their homeland to be essential.

Member States, in view of the evolving humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, supported continued efforts to assist the Afghan people.
...

by Cat on Mon Sep 19th, 2022 at 11:54:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Truce negotiated last week by SCO envoys.

CSTO (1992 mil): AM, BY, KZ, KG, TJ, RU
SCO (2001 NGO): CN, RU, IN, PK, KZ, KG, TJ, UZ, IR, AM*, AF*, AZ*, BY*, TR*, LK*, KH*, SA*, EG*

interfax | Opening of highways, railroads between Armenia, Azerbaijan to attract $4.5-$5 bln investment from Russia for Armenia - Deputy PM Overchuk, 19 Sep

MOSCOW. Sept 19 (Interfax) - The opening of highways and railroads between Armenia and Azerbaijan will create conditions for the inflow of about $4.5-$5 billion of Russian investment to the Armenian market, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said at the 9th Russian-Armenian Interregional Forum.
[...]
He said Russia is Armenia's leading foreign trade partner. Between January and July 2022, the trade turnover between Russia and Armenia reached $2 billion, an increase of nearly 50% against the same period of 2021. Russia's exports to Armenia during the period amounted to $1.4 billion, an increase of 40.5%. Russia's imports from Armenia increased by 66.3%, amounting to $0.6 billion.

"We are actively developing investment cooperation. The total volume of accumulated Russian investment accounts for almost 40% of the total volume of foreign investment in the Armenian economy and it is about $2 billion. More than 40 major Russian companies are operating in Armenia. Some of them are the biggest taxpayers here. They are Gazprom Armenia CJSC, GeoProMining Gold LLC, MTS Armenia CJSC, Russian Railways Company and Rosatom," Overchuk said.

US-Armenia trade balance
by Cat on Tue Sep 20th, 2022 at 12:09:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Full Throttle Sowing Division

h/t comment @MofA

Examples of competing propaganda or simply two different points of view, or is one lying and the other not ?

The Diplomat 17 Sept 2022

(the Diplomat is based in Washington D and is a subsidiary of the CSIS in turn a subsidiary of the Pentagon)

« Is China breaking with Russia over Ukraine ? China's position has subtly shifted since the Russian invasion began, but the partnership with Russia is too important for Beijing to truly abandon its ally.

Gone are the explicit mentions of Russia and China working together to reshape the current international system - cooperation on "the development of the international order and global governance towards a more just and reasonable direction," as Xi put it in his June 15 phone call with Putin. China still undoubtedly wishes to redirect the evolution of the global order, but has decided not to trumpet that it is working with Russia to do so (at least for now). » »



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sun Sep 18th, 2022 at 06:54:16 AM EST
Is China Breaking With Russia Over Ukraine? | By Shannon Tiezzi |

One thing has not changed: Xi and Putin are still positioning their countries as close partners. "In the face of changes of the world, of our times and of history, China will work with Russia to fulfill their responsibilities as major countries and play a leading role in injecting stability into a world of change and disorder," Xi told Putin, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry readout.

As my colleague Catherine Putz noted, Xi and Putin are aligned in seeking to replace the U.S.-led world order with a new, more "democratic" and "just" one. This basic interest has not changed, and there is no explicit indication of Chinese displeasure with Russia in the Chinese summary of the meeting.

So little coverage in Western European media of the SCO Summit representing a large bloc of the global population, and quite diverse. #multilateralism #bannato

Critical Analysis on the Hot Issues Among the International Debates on the Belt and Road Initiative

Reference: Shannon Tiezzi, "The New Silk Road: China's Marshall Plan" - November 2014.

I have mentioned this before, the year 2014 was a pivotal year under the Obama administration: focus on Russia via coup d'état in Kyiv, partial invasion Crimea and Donbas, MH-17 incident, NATO/Arab states failures in Libya and Syria, ... trying to get Turkey, Qatar on board and an opening towards Iran through a nuclear deal. No goals achieved, utter backlash and more chaos in these regions.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sun Sep 18th, 2022 at 06:55:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Mon Sep 19th, 2022 at 09:51:05 PM EST

Colleagues,

You are working at a time when a radical transformation of the entire architecture of international relations has accelerated, when the development of a multipolar and more democratic and fair world order has entered its active phase.
The fact that the movement towards a multipolar world is the main strategic development line in global politics was reaffirmed at the SCO summit held in Samarkand a few days ago.

The SCO is a major regional organisation of the countries where more than a half of the world's population live and where 25 percent of global GDP is created. The countries which firmly believe that the modern world must be polycentric and based on the generally recognised norms of international law and the principles of equal and indivisible security with the central coordinating role of the UN are members of the organisation I have mentioned, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

This approach is gaining more and more supporters, as proven by the growing interest in the SCO's activities from many countries and interstate associations. Let me remind you that the issue of Iran obtaining the status of a full SCO member was resolved in Samarkand, the membership application from Belarus was approved, and eight more states became dialogue partners.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Tue Sep 20th, 2022 at 07:57:05 PM EST


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Sep 23rd, 2022 at 04:12:47 AM EST
by Cat on Fri Sep 23rd, 2022 at 04:28:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]


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