Стр. 6 - V

Author : V. Zakharov
Former Deputy Secretary General, SCO (2004-2009), Senior Lecturer, School of Asian Studies, Na-
tional Research University-Higher School of Economics
IN MID-SEPTEMBER this year, Dushanbe hosted
another summit of the member states of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization, which marked the starting
point for Russia's chairmanship of it for the period
2014-2015.
Scan the political and economic landscape in the SCO's
area of responsibility and along its perimeter with an
eye to the planned events schedule as well as the evolv-
ing explosive situation in Afghanistan and Ukraine. You
can already assert that Russia's initiating and coordinat-
ing role in this period will be constantly affected by challenges like increasing political, military
and social instability in the region and the world at large, the resurgent terrorist and narcotics
threats, and continued attempts by extra-regional forces to gain a foothold and expand their
presence in Central Asia.
There is an understanding that threats from across the Afghan border will be dealt with firmly
by the SCO. For more than 10 years now, their Tashkent-based Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure
(RATS) has been preparing for a coordinated mighty counterstrike.
Uverall, in the year or the Russian Chairmanship, it is to be expected that the Afghan theme will
be very high on the SCO's agenda to hammer out a joint position on all aspects of a peace deal
in Afghanistan.
A SECOND, but no less important, two-fold political task, which Russia must help solve, is,
first, to promote economic cooperation within the SCO and, secondly, to gain an understanding
with the partners on how the SCO will interact with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)
and the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB).
In view of the extremely volatile nature of international life and the expected important changes
in the region it is desirable to regularly update the policy and position dossier of the SCO, making
it a more dynamic and effective organization. The rare, even once a quarter, meetings of the di-
rectors of the relevant departments of the ministries of foreign affairs of member states cannot
give significant effect, because in them the parties only set out their own positions without ad-
dressing the primary task of formulating common approaches for the Organization. (As it is
known, for this one needs the appropriate authority.) Returning to the statutory provisions, we
will note that the "search of common positions on foreign policy issues of mutual interest, in-
cluding issues arising within international organizations and international fora" also refers to a
priority political task of the Russian Chairmanship of the SCO.
Электронное приложение к журналу «Международная жизнь»
Some Political Challenges for Russia's SCO Chairmanship