Leshenyuk: Belarus' SCO membership to become timely response to modern challenges
Oleg Leshenyuk, the Director of the Belarusian State University’s Centre for International Studies, explained why Belarus has taken a course towards rapprochement with Eastern countries this year
“We have already established contacts in many areas of cultural and humanitarian co-operation, in the format of inter-parliamentary interaction. In this regard, it is extremely important for us to join the SCO as a full member. The security agenda has been expanding on this platform in recent years. A sustainable economic growth – based on the principles of the rule of international law, the non-use of force or threat of its use, the respect for territorial integrity, state sovereignty and independence – is important. To reach these goals, it is necessary to build a universal, integrated, transparent infrastructure of reliable security,” the expert said.
Mr. Leshenyuk stressed that terrorism, religious extremism, illegal drug trafficking and arms smuggling have become of a cross-border nature at present. In addition, the SCO is perfectly complemented by such organisations as the CSTO and the EAEU. “Co-ordinated measures and collective efforts could become a key to effectively countering these threats. In the current conditions, compliance by all states with the universal principles of equal and indivisible security becomes imperative," he added.
The expert believes the creation of a common transport space in the SCO area of responsibility and the provision of international multimodal transportation will enable Belarus to increase its economic well-being. “Belarus' SCO membership will be a timely response to the aggressive attacks of the collective West, including the sanctions policy. After all, unfriendly steps have already significantly affected the blocking of established supply chains. The possible formation of a single market and a free trade zone of the SCO will create healthy competition for the products of the member states, also playing a significant role in the organisation of multimodal transportation, improvement of transport infrastructure and transit potential,” he said.
According to Mr. Leshenyuk, due to its geographical location and close co-operation ties with Russia, Belarus de facto participates in the development of trans-European projects in Eastern Europe. After joining the SCO, the republic will continue to strengthen its integration within the CIS and the EAEU.
“The problem is that Western states, as well as associations and corporations, tend to politicise economic and humanitarian co-operation. Since the 2000s, especially in 2010-2013, the West proposed both Belarus and Ukraine to become ‘a corridor’ or ‘a bridge’ between the East and the West. This led to unnecessary competition within the CIS for a privileged access to ties with Western Europe and North America. In the case of Ukraine, the signing of an in-depth association agreement with the EU led to a violation of Ukraine's obligations within the CIS, as well as on a bilateral basis with the EAEU members," the expert noted. “Belarus takes such risks into account in full. From this point of view, the republic will become ‘a barrier’ of the SCO rather than ‘a corridor’. We are talking about ‘a barrier’ against trafficking in weapons, drugs, and persons. Belarus is successfully fighting these threats and is ready to share its experience with the SCO member states.”
Importantly, the SCO Charter does not allow membership with any reservations, and each new member must join all, without exception, contractual documents adopted within the SCO, including its Charter.
“The prospects for the SCO enlargement by new members, in particular Iran and Belarus, speak of the its institutionalisation as an organisation that prevents the sanctions pressure of Western and North American states. This is a kind of ‘anti-sanctions international’ able to ensure the economic development of its members on the basis of the division of labour in the global economic system, rather than on financial services due to the Dollar issue. The SCO members currently have all the necessary resources and technologies to develop the economy and society," Mr. Leshenyuk concluded.
