Why is the “Shanghai Five” important for Turkey?

The “Shanghai Five” (cooperation) discussion, which the President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan first initiated with a gesture in 2012, has been raised again today with a meeting to be held in the capital of Uzbekistan, Samarkand. While the summit, which Turkey will participate in for the first time, was on the agenda in the international media, especially in the United States, the eyes and ears of the whole world are turned to the bilateral talks planned to take place within the scope of the summit…

After a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi in August, the President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said, “The Shanghai Quintet will meet in Uzbekistan in September. During our meeting, Mr. Putin also requested; if possible we will attend the meeting there, God willing.”

The date has come for the meeting of the “Shanghai Five” to take place in Uzbekistan. Erdogan went to Uzbekistan today for the meeting. Erdogan, who will attend the meeting for the first time at the invitation of Uzbek President Shevket Mirziyoyev, hosting the meeting, will hold a series of bilateral contacts within the scope of the summit. In addition, Erdogan will appear in the family photo for the first time.

THE ORGANIZATION HAS 8 MEMBERS

The organization currently has eight main members, along with India and Pakistan. In addition, Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia are the four observer members of the organization. Turkey is one of the six dialogue partners of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The dialogue partners in this organization are Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka.

The official languages of the organization are defined as Russian and Chinese and it attracts attention as a formation in the face of the United States.

The main goal of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which includes countries sanctioned by the West, at this meeting is to develop its own economic and trade relations in the face of sanctions. They want to increase trade using national currencies against the pressure of the US dollar.

Erdogan, who will attend the official lunch, is expected to hold bilateral meetings with the heads of state attending the summit, especially Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as part of the summit.

IS THE SHANGHAI FIVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE EU FOR TURKEY?’

The latest development that has increased the importance of Putin and Erdogan’s meeting in Samarkand is that the President of the Republic of Turkey took an approach that justified Moscow’s attitude within the context of the growing energy crisis between Europe and Russia. It was announced that the grain issue and the energy issue would also be on the agenda during the bilateral talks. It is expected that economic cooperation will mainly be on the agenda during Erdogan’s contacts with other leaders attending the summit, especially Cinping.