Mishustin attends SCO heads of government council in Dushanbe
In short
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin arrived in Dushanbe on 19 October for a two-day visit and took part on 20 October in the Council of Heads of Government of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states. The session began in a narrow format and continued in an expanded one. The Russian government said a joint communique was planned.
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Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin arrived in Dushanbe on 19 October for a two-day visit to take part in the Council of Heads of Government of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, TASS, Interfax and Vedomosti reported. Vedomosti said he would also hold bilateral talks with counterparts on the sidelines. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
On 20 October Mishustin took part in the council session in a narrow format in Dushanbe, TASS and RIA Novosti reported. RIA Novosti said the participants included Belarusian Prime Minister Alexander Turchin, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Kyrgyz First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet Daniyar Amangeldiev, Chinese Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda and Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov. Secretary general Nurlan Yermekbayev and Ularbek Sharsheev, director of the executive committee of the SCO regional anti-terrorist structure, also took part. [ 8 , 10 ]
RIA Novosti reported that the session then continued in an expanded format, joined by Mongolia's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Zhadambyn Enkhbayar, Turkmenistan's Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Khodzhamurat Geldymuradov, SCO Business Council chairman Temir Sariev and SCO Interbank Consortium council chairman Ulanbek Nogaev. TASS also reported that the council continued its work in an expanded composition and published a video broadcast of Mishustin speaking. [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]
Before the visit, the Russian government said the heads of government would consider trade, economic and cultural-humanitarian cooperation in the context of the 25th anniversary of the SCO. It said special attention would go to implementing agreements reached at the leaders' meeting in Bishkek on 1 September and the SCO Development Strategy to 2035. [ 2 , 5 ]
The government press service said the results would be set out in a joint communique. It said a concept for a single digital platform for managing multimodal land freight transport was planned for adoption, along with an initiative to promote high-quality and sustainable development of international rail transport among SCO members. The documents do not report whether these were adopted. [ 2 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The council reviews trade, economic and cultural-humanitarian cooperation among SCO members in the year of the organisation's 25th anniversary. The Russian government said planned decisions include a concept for a single digital platform for multimodal land freight transport and an initiative on international rail transport.
Key facts
- Mishustin arrived in Dushanbe on 19 October for a visit lasting until 20 October. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The Russian government said heads of government would consider trade, economic and cultural-humanitarian cooperation in the context of the 25th anniversary of the SCO. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Special attention was to go to implementing agreements reached at the leaders' meeting of member states in Bishkek on 1 September and the SCO Development Strategy to 2035. [ 2 , 5 , 10 ]
- On 20 October Mishustin took part in the council session in a narrow format, which then continued in an expanded format. [ 8 , 10 , 12 ]
- Heads of government or government representatives of Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan took part in the narrow-format session. [ 10 ]
- Mongolia and Turkmenistan were represented in the expanded format, RIA Novosti reported. [ 10 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Mishustin arrived in Dushanbe on 19 October to take part in the SCO Council of Heads of Government. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Mishustin took part in the narrow-format session of the council on 20 October. [ 8 , 10 ]
- The session continued in an expanded format. [ 10 , 12 ]
- The Russian government said the results would be set out in a joint communique, and that a concept for a single digital platform for managing multimodal land freight transport was planned for adoption. [ 2 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the joint communique, the digital freight platform concept and the rail initiative were adopted. The documents only describe what the Russian government said was planned; none reports the outcome.
- Which bilateral talks Mishustin held on the sidelines. Vedomosti said he would hold bilateral talks with counterparts, but no document names the meetings or their results.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On 19 October Interfax reported the government's announcement of Mishustin's trip to Dushanbe for 19-20 October. [ 2 ]
- On 19 October TASS reported that Mishustin had arrived in Dushanbe. [ 3 ]
- On 20 October TASS reported that Mishustin took part in the narrow-format session. [ 8 ]
- On 20 October TASS published a video broadcast of Mishustin speaking at the council. [ 11 ]
- On 20 October TASS reported that the council continued its work in an expanded format. [ 12 ]