Стр. 17 - V

Author : V. Petrovsky
Member of the Academy of Military Sciences, Chief Research Associate, Institute for Far Eastern Stud-
ies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Science (Political Science)
THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY SUMMIT of the Shanghai Cooper-
ation Organization (SCO) that took place in June 2016 was an im-
portant landmark on the road toward admitting new members (India
and Pakistan); it also confirmed the very timely trend obvious in the
contemporary international relations caused by the growing role of
political and diplomatic measures in settling regional challenges to
the nonproliferation regimes of weapons of mass destruction (nu-
clear weapons in the first place).
The regime of nuclear nonproliferation, unique in its universal and
comprehensive nature as well as its importance for international
peace and security, is the cornerstone of contemporary world order,
a symbol of ability of all (or nearly all) states to come to terms and
cooperate for the sake of common survival.
Today, this instrument and symbol of world politics is under serious threat. The inconsistent
policy of the recognized nuclear powers in the sphere of disarmament and global strategic sta-
bility is responsible, in many respects, for the erosion of the international nonproliferation
regimes and an increased interest of many countries, the developing countries in the first place,
in acquiring nuclear potential.
The history of SCO has demonstrated that throughout its existence it has been "committed to
enhancing strategic stability, strengthening the international regime of nonproliferation of
weapons of mass destruction and upholding order in international law."2 Today, the erosion of
the nuclear nonproliferation regime and the challenges the
Compliance with the international regimes of nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction
has become one of the main criteria of admittance of new members, together with their be-
longing to the SCO region, common borders with other SCO members, antiterrorist struggle
and non-participation in military blocs, an absence of military bases and military contingents of
third countries on their territories, diplomatic relationships with all SCO member-states, and ob-
servance of human rights - these criteria were exhaustively formulated in the Statute on the
Order of Admission of New Members adopted by the Tashkent Summit of June 11, 2010.
The above determined everything that was done in preparation for the admission of India, Pak-
istan and Iran, the highly "problematic" states where nuclear nonproliferation is concerned.
Having passed the decision to initiate an admission procedure for India and Pakistan at the SCO
Ufa summit in July 2015, the SCO member-states reconfirmed that all NPT provisions should
be strictly observed, its aims and principles comprehensively balanced to further consolidate the
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SCO Expansion and Regional Aspects of Nuclear Nonprolifera-
tion