Kenneth Glad
The gathering brings together governments from across Eurasia for discussions on regional security, economic ties and cooperation. Kyrgyzstan is chairing the meeting as leaders hold formal sessions and separate talks.
Bishkek is hosting a series of Shanghai Cooperation Organization events on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, culminating in the 26th meeting of the Council of Heads of State. The gathering takes place during the organization’s 25th anniversary year and brings its member countries together for high-level discussions in the Kyrgyz capital.
Kyrgyzstan currently holds the SCO chairmanship, with President Sadyr Japarov serving as host for leaders representing the organization’s ten member states. The summit gives the country a central role in coordinating the meeting and its wider diplomatic program, writes Astana Times..
The SCO said national coordinators reviewed documents being prepared for signing by the leaders ahead of the summit. The organization also said foreign ministers had examined the draft Bishkek Declaration and discussed a range of regional and international issues in preparation for the heads-of-state meeting.
Putin’s bilateral meetings
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kyrgyzstan with nine bilateral meetings scheduled during his visit, according to The Moscow Times. The talks form a significant part of his agenda alongside the main SCO summit events in Bishkek.
The outlet reported that Putin was expected to discuss the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It also said his talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were expected to focus on Black Sea security and the continuing war in Ukraine.
Other scheduled counterparts included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. These meetings add to a broader series of diplomatic contacts taking place around the summit. Putin also attended the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games on Aug. 31.
Kyrgyzstan’s host role
Former USAID official Javier M. Piedra argues, according to Astana Times, that hosting the anniversary gathering could strengthen Kyrgyzstan’s international visibility and raise its diplomatic profile.
He also suggested that the summit gives the country an opportunity to draw greater attention to economic and security priorities that matter to Bishkek and the wider region.
After completing his meetings in Bishkek, Putin is scheduled to travel to Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum, The Moscow Times reported. The trip will take him directly from the SCO gathering to another major event on his official schedule.
Sources: The Moscow Times; The Astana Times
