The Center for Eastern Studies of Poland OSW analyzed the results of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which was held in Astana on July 3-4.
Experts came to the conclusion that the Astana Declaration adopted at the end of the summit, despite the anti-Western accents, has a relatively moderate message.
«The text often contains phrases indicating the need to adhere to the political line of China, not Russia. The topic of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war is completely omitted, and most of the content concerns non-interference in internal affairs and compliance with international law,» the conclusions say.
Analysts believe that China was the political beneficiary of the events in Astana, as evidenced by the language used in drafting the declaration. It most reflects Beijing’s position: the number of bilateral meetings held by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and the symbolic surroundings accompanying Xi Jinping’s state visit to Kazakhstan (the PRC delegation arrived in Astana on four huge Boeing airliners. — Note of 24.kg news agency).
«Beijing once again acted as a force claiming to stabilize Eurasia (primarily Central Asia), which was reflected, in particular, in the adoption of plans to develop anti-terrorist cooperation, economic and transport initiatives emphasized during the bilateral talks between the heads of the PRC and Kazakhstan,» the center’s researchers write.
As for Russia, OSW notes: Vladimir Putin’s participation in the SCO summit was meant to demonstrate the failure of the West’s efforts to isolate it diplomatically and politically. During the summit, the Russian president held six bilateral meetings. The most significant of them were talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Turkish President Erdogan.
