Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will take part on May 4-5 in a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states to be held in the Goa state capital of Panaji in the south of India, which chairs the organization.
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the SCO foreign ministers will give priority to the content of the regular session of the Council of the SCO heads of state, scheduled for July 3-4 in New Delhi. In addition, according to her, there will be an exchange of views on topical issues of the international and regional agenda.
Lavrov's trip promises to be eventful, because in addition to participation in the meeting on the margins of the event, the head of the Russian minister "has a number of bilateral meetings planned."
Seeking multilateral accord
The Russian foreign ministry said earlier that the sides are expected to discuss key regional and international issues, focusing on issues of foreign policy coordination to strengthen the UN's central coordinating role in ensuring robust global security and sustainable economic development. Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov noted that the SCO has serious positive potential in the international arena and is capable of making worthwhile proposals to seek multilateral accord on some key issues.
Obviously, one of the topics of discussion will be the crisis around Ukraine. The head of the Russian foreign ministry will certainly share with his colleagues Moscow's position on the Ukrainian crisis. Notably, in his phone call with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on April 26, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated Beijing's readiness to facilitate the negotiation process to end the conflict. It is likely that the Chinese side will detail its view on the work in this direction at the meeting.
The agenda of the ministerial meeting also includes "an exchange of views on the modernization of the SCO activities and mechanisms for addressing challenges and threats to the security of the SCO member states."
The Russian MFA said that in the context of joint efforts against terrorism, extremism, illegal drug trafficking and transborder organized crime, the parties will focus on the situation in Afghanistan, proceeding from the importance of curbing the threat of "spillover" of instability from the country to the SCO space.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said that security cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization makes a significant contribution to ensuring stability in the SCO zone of responsibility.
Preparing for summit: final stage
The Russian MFA stressed that Russia is ready for close cooperation with all partners for successful holding of the upcoming SCO summit in New Delhi as well as for further development of constructive interaction within the association.
The meeting in Goa is expected to open the final stage of preparations for the SCO summit. The ministers will focus on substantive content of the upcoming summit, including discussion of draft documents to be submitted for consideration of the leaders. Last year, the heads of the SCO countries adopted over two dozen documents following the Samarkand summit.
Smolensk Square pointed out that the final political declaration will contain the parties' consolidated approaches to the key issues of SCO activities as well as to the urgent problems of the global and regional agenda.
The diplomatic office pointed out that topical statements at the highest level are aimed at promoting the SCO cooperation in solving such problems as de-radicalization, climate change, digital transformation and food security. "Among the draft decisions of the Council of the SCO Heads of State are of special importance to formalize the membership of Iran and promote the admission of Belarus into the organization," added the ministry.
In March, SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming stated that the process of Minsk and Tehran accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was progressing successfully.
Economy and humanitarian track
In the context of economic discussions, the parties may discuss the transition to settlements in national currencies. Deputy Secretary General of the SCO Grigory Logvinov said recently that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is developing a road map for the transition to accounts in national currencies.
One of the organization’s pillars is cultural and humanitarian cooperation. "In this context, the partners are considering Russia’s proposals on the establishment of a SCO association of sports organizations, the organization of SCO Games, which would be open for other countries, and on the establishment of a SCO medical association," the ministry added.
Expansion of the organization
The meeting of the SCO Council of Ministers is expected to focus on issues of the organization’s expansion. The ministers will approve a draft resolution of the SCO summit on granting membership to Iran. They will also discuss Belarus’ request for accelerating the procedure of its admission to the organization.
It is also planned to sign memorandums on granting the SCO dialogue partner status to Bahrain, Kuwait, Myanmar, the Maldives, and the United Arab Emirates, which, as noted in the Russian foreign ministry, "will open new opportunities for these countries to join the organization in areas of mutual interest."
Lavrov noted earlier that more and more countries of the Global South want to establish ties with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and be admitted as their full-fledged members. He said in February that BRICS and the SCO’s popularity with developing countries was growing because these were associations of a new type, unlike NATO and the European Union, with their heavy-handed discipline.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is open for cooperation with all international associations, including NATO, Logvinov said in late April. According to Logvinov, such cooperation could be possible if NATO made real efforts to address the challenges and threats facing humankind. "But, regrettably, it is impossible today. And not through our fault," he stressed.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS