he Shanghai Cooperation Organization and its role in the contemporary system of international relations (On the 20th anniversary of the SCO)

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). This is a good opportunity to assess its performance over the past two decades, to draw some conclusions, and to discuss possible future developments of the SCO. The author examines milestones in the formation of the SCO, its institutional structure, as well as its key activities which encompass four focal areas: politics, security, economy, and humanitarian cooperation. The paper focuses on the decisions of the 21st SCO Summit in Dushanbe, especially those aimed at strengthening cooperation in combating the eff ects of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and addressing security challenges, arising from the latest developments in Afghanistan. The latter particularly imply an increasing threat of terrorism, extremism, and drug traffi cking from Afghanistan to neighboring countries in Central Asia. The author emphasizes the crucial role of the SCO Regional Antiterrorist Structure (RATS) in countering these threats. Finally, the paper addresses both the circumstances and possible implications of Iran’s ascension to a full SCO member, which was approved during the summit in Dushanbe. The author concludes that over the past two decades the SCO has successfully transitioned from an important, yet regional in scope and framework, organization to an infl uential global actor, which plays a major role in the maintenance of peace and security in Central Asia and could serve as a model for the establishment of a new non-confrontational approach to the interstate relations.

Russia-China Partnership 2021: Global, Regional and Bilateral Dimensions

The article is dedicated to the global, regional and bilateral aspects of the current Russian-Chinese strategic partnership, including its strengths and existing weaknesses. The author analyses potentialities of the Treaty on Good Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, as well as the Russian-Chinese dimensions in Greater Eurasia, including the complexities and problems of the conjugation processes and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The author describes positive and constraining factors for the further development of the Organization. The article describes the problems of Russia-China cooperation with regard to Siberia and the Far East, including some difficulties of investment and infrastructure projects. It is being noted that the Chinese vision of the Russian Far Eastern regions does not always coincide with the Russian one. It is important, relying on political will and mutual trust, to frankly and objectively discuss all sensitive issues and contradictions.

SCO CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION: DISCUSSION OF A PROPOSAL

Modern processes of geopolitical, socio-economic development of states and the global economy requirethe intensification of scientific and technical cooperation within the framework of regional associations,which include developing countries. This is necessary for the transition from a resource-based economy to aknowledge economy and a significant improvement in the welfare of the population.Unfortunately, despitethe presence of appropriate prerequisites, scientific and technical cooperation between the member states ofthe Shanghai Cooperation Organization is extremely poorly developed.It seems that one of the reasons forthis is the absence of a convention document regulating in detail various aspects of cooperation in the areaunder consideration.The necessity of development and adoption of the Shanghai Cooperation OrganizationConvention on international scientific and scientific-technical cooperation is substantiated.It is proposed toinclude in this document the goals and principles of international scientific and technical cooperation, ruleson a permanent SCO body on international scientific and technical cooperation, provisions on financialsupport for scientific and technical cooperation, framework norms on the legal regime of territories ofadvanced scientific and scientific-technical development, as well as the norms disclosing the legal status ofparticipants in international scientific and scientific-technical cooperation.

Роль Шанхайской организации сотрудничества в развитии транспортного и логистического потенциала стран Центральной Азии

The publication examines actual issues of interstate economic cooperation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states in the framework of building new transport and communication routes. There was provided the analysis of the SCO normative legal documents in the terms of transport regulation, both road and rail, there were outlined the prospects and opportunities which emerge as a result of the signing of bilateral and multilateral agreements between the members of the Organization. The author describes the current situation of international transport communication routes and also reveals in details the initiatives proposed by Uzbekistan, pointing out his key role in the formation of new Eurasian transit corridors and arteries. Considering the issue of modern Eurasian interstate cooperation mechanisms’conjugation from an standpoint of creating and improving transport and logistics infrastructure, the author notes the possibility of implementing the initiatives of Russia and China on the SCO platform. Combination of such potential integration projects as the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) on the Shanghai Organization platform will create a new model of economic cooperation in the Russia-China-Central Asia triangle. The article also examines the measures taken by the SCO member states to build new and modernize existing road and rail routes on their own territories and on the territory of neighboring states. In the conclusion, it is pointed out that further positive shifts in the developing of the Shanghai Organization transport sector will largely depend on the ability of its participants to take a coordinated policy in the transport and logistics sector.

CICA AND ASIAN COOPERATION ORGANIZATIONS (SCO, ASEAN, OIC): COOPERATION POTENTIAL AND PROSPECTS

The article contains an overview of the activities of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), a structure aimed at creating a comprehensive mechanism for developing and reconciling the positions of Asian countries on key security issues. The CICA is a forum that many regional states have joined as permanent participants. Eight countries and five international organizations, including the U.N., currently have an observer status at the CICA, which cooperates with existing regional organizations such as SCO, ASEAN, and OIC in a number of specific areas. The current concept of CICA’s work is aligned with five main spheres: military and political collaboration; the fight against new challenges and threats, including terrorism; drug trafficking; transnational crime and human trafficking; as well as the economic, environmental and human dimensions. Cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, whose members (including the observer countries) are all also members of the Conference, will be of great importance for the further development of CICA. The presence of both resource-producing countries and large oil and gas importers in the organization creates the preconditions for the formation of an energy block within its framework, which will increase the energy security of its member states. The authors note that the interaction between ASEAN and the CICA can be based on five points required for building a “community of common destiny,” which were set forth by President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping in Jakarta: (1) adhere to the principle of trust and strive for good neighborliness; (2) adhere to the principle of cooperation and mutual benefit; (3) constantly provide mutual assistance; (4) adhere to the principle of “living in perfect harmony”; (5) adhere to the principle of openness and tolerance. The authors note that the problem of Afghanistan can become a point of contact and development of joint approaches and strategies of the CICA and the OIC in the context of international and regional security. The author concludes that the transformation of the CICA into the Organization for Security and Development of Asia, proposed by Kazakhstan, would mean an expansion of the conference format and a turn towards solving new problems. In addition, the urgent task of the CICA at present is the transition to qualitatively new levels of cooperation—preventive diplomacy and conflict prevention.

SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION AS A PLATFORM FOR PROMOTING THE AGENDA OF CHINA’S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE

The article discusses main issues and tendencies of two China-proposed initiatives, namely Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The key focus of the research combines the major points and expected results of BRI and the growing role of SCO in current International Relations. While exploring these two structures, we conclude that SCO is pushing forward BRI, serving as a strong influential and effective platform. The organization helped China to build up unprecedentedly intense ties with local states, creating natural conditions to play an active and constructive role in BRI agenda. From the very beginning Chinese BRI is closely related with SCO sharing reciprocal approaches, common features, principles and goals. They are historically linked together both geographically and ideologically. Specific projects under BRI together with the existing economic cooperation structure of SCO are truly complementing each other. SCO members view the BRI favorably, and China’s effective usage of the SCO has already resulted in many of its foreign policy goals being reached or at least had significant progress.

Critical geopolitics, the Shanghai cooperation organization and the sino-kazakh water agreements

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), previously known as the Shanghai Five, was formed in June 2001 as a security engagement organization. It is a highly influential organization in the Eurasian continent, and most Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan included - are members of SCO, as well as China. In recent years, the Chinese water diplomacy towards Kazakhstan has advanced in different agreements that are shaping the patterns of water security in Central Asia. The Chinese strategic interest in the development of the scope of the SCO in this region has made Kazakh transboundary water issues to advance in negotiations. However, these agreements have been made in a bilateral scheme, which is considered relatively unequal towards Kazakh interests; therefore, in spite of the Kazakh efforts, the SCO so far has not turned into a water security organization. This paper is going to analyze the current trends in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as well as the Sino-Kazakh cooperation platform, especially regarding transboundary water resources. From the perspective of the critical geopolitics scholarship and its considerations regarding the concepts of hegemony and zones of influence, the idea that the Sino-Kazakh cooperation has advanced following Chinese interests is going to be defended. In conclusion, this paper states that due to the lack of interest regarding Chinese water diplomacy, and despite of Kazakh efforts, the SCO is not in the near future launching great initiatives regarding water security in the region, reinforcing the Chinese diplomacy of bilateral water agreements. Recebido em 14/04/2021Aprovado em 19/09/2021

LEGAL REGULATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION OF RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN

The article deals with the development of international scientific and technical cooperation betweenRussia and Kazakhstan and its main actors. International scientific and technical relations are describedthrough the prism of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two states through regionalinterstate associations, in particular the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The author pays specialattention to the issue of legal regulation of international scientific and technical regulation, the mainmechanism of which is bilateral and multilateral treaties and agreements. At the same time, one of the important forms of cooperation is the development of coordinated measures to harmonize the regulatoryframework of Russia and Kazakhstan in the field of science and technology.

Study on Tobacco Regulation and Building Legal Mechanism of Security Guarantee for SCO Energy Club

Objectives: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) region has complementary advantages in energy and resources and closely related interests in geopolitical energy security. Common interests and close cooperation led to the creation of energy cooperation arrangements among the SCO countries. Particularly, owing to the outbreak of COVID-19 epidemic, the states progressively incline to focus more on issues concerning tobacco control to promote sustainable environmental development. The establishment and improvement of the SCO energy club mechanism is an important way of SCO energy cooperation. This paper adopts the method of combining history with normative analysis, by analyzing the current of the SCO Energy Club running mechanism, proposes that the position and development target of the SCO Energy Club should be clear, the coordination of multilateral and bilateral and unilateral measures of energy function remains to be further play, contribution to the energy trade and investment disputes should be timely strengthen, then the SCO Energy Club could play a positive role in promoting the implementation of cross-border energy cooperation measures within the region. The paper proposes to use legal mechanism to construct SCO Energy Club so as to make it play the role of security guarantee mechanism more fully.

Pakistan’s emerging regional politico-economic role in the SCO

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is presently a Eurasian politico-economic bloc having two South Asian members, Pakistan and India. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prospective role of Pakistan in the SCO with qualitative study based on interviews. On June 2017, Pakistan was granted permanent membership in the SCO during its 16th Heads of State Summit in Astana. By associating itself as a permanent member, summit allows Pakistan to contribute to regional development alongside other key regional players, Russia and China and India. The study gave four findings that how multilateralism was having a calming effect on a regional conflict, Pakistan embracing independence from isolation through Trans-Afghanistan gas pipeline. Through CPEC, Pakistan was offering the SCO member countries an economic hallway. And how the Eurasian politico-economic ambitions to reach the warm waters of the Arabian Sea was perceived as hampering the Western economic interests, thereby offering a major impediment to Pakistan’s emerging role in the SCO. Moreover, SCO participation will help enhance Pakistan's worldwide socio-economic objectives. This study examines the socio-politico and economic aspirations of Pakistan and benefit due to ties with SCO member countries.