Russian President, Vladimir Putin has addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Putin’s address to the summit which was held via videoconference under India’s leadership, was his first to an international meeting since the Wagner mutiny in Russia.
Speaking via video link from the Kremlin on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, Putin lauded the SCO for “playing an increasingly significant role in international affairs, making a real contribution to maintaining peace and stability, ensuring sustainable economic growth of the participating states, and strengthening ties between peoples.”
Putin also expressed his gratitude to the SCO nations for supporting the Russian authorities during the short-lived armed mutiny staged by Wagner Chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and said that the West had turned Ukraine into “a virtually hostile state — anti-Russia.”
Moreover, Putin used the platform to send a message of defiance to the West, saying “Russia will continue to oppose Western sanctions, and “provocations.”
The Russian President supported the transition to settlements between SCO nations in local currencies for foreign trade. He added that more than 80% of trade between Chinese and Russian people was in roubles and yuan, and urged other SCO members to follow the same process.
Additionally, Putin averred that Russians were more united than ever.
“The Russian people are consolidated as never before.
“Russian political circles and the whole of society clearly demonstrated their unity and elevated sense of responsibility for the fate of the Fatherland when they responded as a united front against an attempted armed mutiny.”
Vladimir Putin, Russian President
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also addressed the summit.
Xi, in his speech, stressed the importance of safeguarding regional peace and security, urging SCO members to work toward achieving “long-term peace and stability in the region.”
Xi called on SCO members to “follow the right direction and enhance their solidarity and mutual trust.” He also called on SCO members to “focus on practical cooperation and accelerate economic recovery,”
On his part, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced terrorism and defended his country’s role in the fight against it.
“While the sacrifices made by Pakistan in fighting terrorism are without parallel, this scourge continues to plague our region and remains a serious obstacle to the maintenance of peace and stability.
“Any temptation to use it as a cudgel for diplomatic point scoring must be eschewed.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif
Sharif also lauded the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, saying that it could be a “game-changer for connectivity, stability, peace and prosperity in the region.”
One factor that all the members seem to agree on unanimously was maintaining stability in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover after US troops pulled out two years ago.
A joint statement due to be released later will give more clues on how SCO nations aim to work together on Afghanistan.
Iran Joins The SCO
Also on Tuesday, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation welcomed Iran as a new member, bringing its membership to nine nations.
Iran’s membership was announced by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. “New countries joining the group underlines the importance of the group,” Modi averred.
Iran’s membership of the SCO is another step taken by the country towards ending its global isolation.
The SCO was founded by Russia and China in 2001 to counter Western alliances. It also includes the four Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan; all former Soviet republics in which Russian influence runs deep.
Pakistan and India became members in 2017.Belarus is also in line for membership.
