РУССКИЙ
18:45 04.07.2024 •
Photo: Kremlin.ru
The security of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) member states remains central to the organization’s mission. The association’s regional anti-terrorist agency will be revamped to this end, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council in Astana.
He stressed that the approved program of cooperation in this field will also contribute to the fight against separatism and extremism in the SCO space.
TASS has gathered the president's key statements.
Development of cooperation within the SCO
Russia attaches great importance to cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which "continues to develop progressively on the principles of equal rights, consideration of each other's interests, respect for cultural and civilizational diversity, and the search for collective solutions to pressing security issues."
A "really solid package of documents and decisions" has been prepared for approval by the current SCO Council of Heads of State, the implementation of which "will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening the role and influence" of the organization.
Security and combating terrorism
The security of the SCO member states remains a priority task. In order to fulfill it, the organization's regional anti-terrorist agency will be transformed into a "universal center that will deal with the entire spectrum of security threats."
The program of cooperation in this area approved at the SCO summit in Kazakhstan will also contribute to the fight against separatism and extremism in the SCO area.
The new security paradigm in Eurasia proposed by Russia is designed to replace "outdated Euro-Atlantic models."
Youth networks
The SCO Youth Council, established at Russia's initiative, plays a coordinating role in promoting dialogue among young people.
The member countries of the organization are consistently increasing cooperation on the cultural and humanitarian tracks: "The SCO University, which unites 77 universities from our countries, is doing good work."
Economic cooperation
"Close economic ties" in the SCO space are paying clear dividends for the participants of the organization: "The facts speak for themselves."
The draft decision on the development strategy of the association until 2035 outlines the prospects for further deepening cooperation not only in politics and security, but also in the economy, energy, agriculture, high technology and innovation: "This is important from the point of view of deepening practical cooperation in all areas within our organization's activities."
Multipolar world
Changes in the world order are occurring rapidly and irreversibly, "the multipolar world is officially here."
The SCO and BRICS "act as a powerful engine of global development processes and the establishment of true multipolarity."
Ukraine
The crisis in Ukraine arose due to "the absolutely unceremonious policy of the United States and its satellites."
The peace plan proposed by Russia would allow for an immediate cessation of fighting and the start of negotiations if Kiev and the West are ready.
The Middle East
History has shown the unviability of US attempts to "cut the Palestinian knot."
The use of national currencies
The SCO nations are increasing the use of national currencies in mutual settlements, "their share in Russia's commercial transactions with the members of the organization has already exceeded 92% in the first four months of 2024."
Photo: Kremlin.ru
Close economic ties in the SCO space bring dividends to the members of the association, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Close economic ties bring obvious dividends to all participants. The facts speak for themselves. Thus, the average GDP growth of the countries that are members of our organization last year amounted to more than 5%, industrial production – 4.5%, and inflation – only 2.4%. At the same time, Russia's trade turnover with the SCO countries increased by a quarter," Putin said in his speech at the meeting of the Council of Heads of State - members of the association.
He added that the draft decision on the development of the SCO strategy until 2035 outlined prospects for further deepening interaction not only in the political and security spheres, but also in the economy, energy, agriculture, high technology and innovation.
Ensuring the security of member states remains a top priority for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Maintaining security in the member countries and along the organization’s external borders has certainly been one of the SCO’s priorities. That is why today, a decision was made to turn the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure into a universal center tasked with responding to the entire range of security threats, as well as to establish an anti-drug center in [the Tajik capital of Dushanbe]," the Russian president said at a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana.
In addition, Putin emphasized that a special cooperation program approved at the Astana summit would facilitate the fight against separatism and extremism in the SCO countries.
Furthermore, the Russian leader also praised cooperation between businesses from SCO nations.
"The organization’s Business Council remains operational, providing our countries’ business circles with the opportunity to join mutually beneficial projects. Besides, the Shanghai Organization Interbank Consortium actively works to provide funding to such projects," Putin said.
Photo: Kremlin.ru
Russia is ready from the industry’s point of view to start producing short-range and medium-range missiles in view of US actions, President Vladimir Putin told reporters after the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
"I said that in connection with the withdrawal of the United States from that treaty [the Intermediate Nuclear Force Treaty - TASS] and the announcement that they start production, we also consider that we have the right to begin research, development, and production in the future. We are carrying such research and development, we are ready to start production. We have already given relevant assignments to the industry as a matter of principle," the head of state said.
Moscow can give a mirror-like response in case US short-and medium-range missiles are placed in any region of the world, Putin noted. "Everything remains as we said," he added.
States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) are increasing the use of national currencies in mutual settlements – their share in Russia's trade transactions with members of the organization exceeded 92% in the first four months of 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Our countries are increasing the use of national currencies in mutual settlements. For example, their share in Russia's commercial transactions with members of the organization has already exceeded 92% in the first four months of this year," Putin said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State - members of the association.
He recalled Russia's proposal to create its own payment and settlement mechanism within the SCO and noted that regular meetings of the economic bloc's ministers, meetings of the heads of finance ministries and central banks significantly contribute to the development of trade and investment relations within the SCO space.
Photo: Kremlin.ru
Moscow is ready for talks on resolving the Ukraine conflict, while Kiev rejected any peace process on Western instructions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the SCO+ meeting in Astana.
"Russia, as you know, has never rejected peace talks and is ready to continue them now," Putin said. "It was Ukraine that rejected negotiations, and it did so publicly and on direct instructions from London and <…> Washington," he added, citing rhetoric from Ukrainian officials.
The Ukrainian authorities officially banned Kiev from engaging with Putin’s Russia. So far, Zelensky has rejected all ceasefire initiatives, including the proposal brought by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban earlier this week.
Amid a rapidly changing global landscape, a multipolar world order is officially here, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State.
"Today, as the world goes through rapid and irreversible changes, the SCO’s proactive position in international affairs is much needed. A multipolar world is already a reality," he pointed out.
"We are convinced that along with BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a pillar of the emerging world order. These two organizations serve as a powerful driving force behind global development processes and efforts to ensure true multipolarity," Putin added.
The Russian president noted that "an increasing number of countries are calling for a fairer world order and express determination to defend their legitimate rights and traditional values; new centers of power and economic development are emerging and growing stronger."
According to the Russian leader, the SCO’s initiative "On Global Unity for a Just World and Harmony" marks a step towards multipolarity. "The initiative is clearly aimed at developing measures of trust particularly in the field of stability and security, primarily in our common Eurasian region," Putin explained. "These measures are meant to guarantee equal conditions for development for all, regardless of countries’ political and economic systems, religious and cultural background," Putin said.
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