SCO Summit 2022 LIVE | 'Putin is isolating himself', Washington remarks after former's meeting with PM Modi

Iranian government on Saturday released a readout of the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ebrahim Raisi. "Cruel sanctions could not interrupt the progress of the Iranian nation, Iranian President told PM Modi during meet on sidelines of SCO Samarkand Summit." read the readout. 

On the same day as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of SCO meet and advised him that 'today's era is not of war', Washington quickly jumped in on the conversation and gave its version to Moscow. 

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that 25% of Russian gas supplies to Turkey would be paid for in roubles, and that an agreement on this would come into force soon.

Speaking during a meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan, Putin said: "Our agreement on deliveries of Russian natural gas to Turkey should come into effect in the near future, with 25% of payment for these deliveries in Russian roubles."

Since Western countries imposed sweeping sanctions over its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, Russia has sought to conduct as many transactions as possible in currencies other than dollars or euros - the usual default currencies for energy contracts, in particular.

It has also demanded that payments for some gas exports be made in roubles, in some cases in contravention of existing contract terms.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that a border conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia this week had "stabilised", and a ceasefire had been in place for the last two days.

Speaking to Putin on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan, Aliyev said:

"Border conflicts happen. Unfortunately, they have been associated with numerous casualties on both sides, but the main thing is that we have managed to stabilise the situation and shift it to a peaceful course."

Putin said it was "good" that the conflict had de-escalated, but that the situation was still tense.

More than 200 service personnel were killed the clashes, according to new figures from both countries on Friday.

Armenia and Azerbaijan blame each other for the fighting, their deadliest confrontation since thousands were killed in a six-week war over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) is "devoid of any selfishness" as Uzbekistan's President says a memorandum to welcome Iran as a full member of the organisation is being signed.

The meeting brought Putin and Xi Jinping together with the leaders of SCO members India, Pakistan, and four Central Asian nations, as well as the presidents of Iran and Turkey.

Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation called for a "balance" between reducing carbon emissions and allowing poorer states to catch up with economically developed countries in a joint statement on climate change adopted on Friday.

In the statement, the heads of some of the world's biggest emitters - including China, India and Russia - said they unanimously recognised the negative consequences of climate change and the need for urgent action, but called for increased investment in oil and gas production and exploration.

The group also slammed "coercive measures" to force countries into reducing emissions at a set pace, saying countries "have the right to independently set national goals in the field of climate change prevention".

"Unilateral coercive measures violate multilateral principles, seriously undermine multilateral cooperation and collective and national efforts to address climate change, and weaken the ability of countries to address climate change," the leaders of the SCO member states said in their joint statement.

Kyrgyzstan reported "intense battles" with Tajikistan on Friday and said its Central Asian neighbour was moving forces and equipment to the border in the latest outbreak of violence to hit the former Soviet Union.

Both of the small impoverished landlocked nations have accused each other of restarting fighting in a disputed area, despite a ceasefire deal.

In a statement, the Kyrgyz border service said its forces were continuing to repel Tajik attacks.

"From the Tajik side, shelling of the positions of the Kyrgyz side continues, and in some areas intense battles are going on," it said.

Kamchybek Tashiev, the head of the Kyrgyz state committee on national security, was quoted by Russia's RIA news agency as saying military casualties had been high.

"The situation is difficult and as for what will happen tomorrow - no one can give any guarantees," he said. Thousands of people have already been forced to evacuate.

Separately, RIA cited a source as saying that 17 people, including 11 Kyrgyz border guards, had been killed.

Earlier in the day Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon agreed to order a ceasefire and troop pullback at a regional summit in Uzbekistan, Japarov's office said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday (September 16) said he had not yet decided whether to personally attend a summit of the Group of 20 nations in Indonesia in November.

However, Putin, speaking to reporters in Uzbekistan after a regional summit, said Russia would be represented at the meeting.

Putin also said that his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping the previous day at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan had been "normal."

Speaking to reporters after the summit, Putin said he had discussed measures to boost Russia-China trade during his meeting with Xi, whose "concerns" about the war in Ukraine Putin publicly acknowledged for the first time during the session.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday (September 16) on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan.

The meeting comes a day after Xi stayed away from a dinner attended by 11 heads of states at a regional security summit in line with his delegation's COVID-19 policy, according to a source in the Uzbek government.

Xi's attendance at the meeting of the SCO, a regional body led by China and Russia, marks his first foreign trip since the beginning of the pandemic.

President Vladimir Putin on Friday denied Russia had anything to do with Europe's energy crisis, saying that if the European Union wanted more gas it should lift sanctions preventing the opening of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Speaking to reporters after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan, Putin blamed what he called "the green agenda" for the energy crisis, and insisted that Russia would fulfil its energy obligations.

"The bottom line is, if you have an urge, if it's so hard for you, just lift the sanctions on Nord Stream 2, which is 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year, just push the button and everything will get going," Putin said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Samarkand on Friday (September 16) to boost bilateral ties. Iran used to be the second largest oil supplier to India, but New Delhi had to halt imports from Tehran after former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran and re-imposed sanctions on its oil exports.
 

FS - PM emphasized on the role to counter threat of terrorism in the region.
FS - PM emphasized for greater connectivity with the members states.
FS - PM reiterated on expansion of the organization - we welcome Iran and Belarus - both are in the different stage of process for inclusion.
FS - PM emphasized on need for substantive cooperation in trade and economy.
FS - PM highlighted on Afghanistan, terror, aspirations of Central Asian regions, connectivity.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held bilateral meeting with Uzbekistan president Shavkat Miziyoyev at the sidelines of the summit.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said on Friday that "great efforts" are being made "for the conflict in Ukraine to come to an end as soon as possible via diplomatic means." 

Modi: We got an opportunity to meet again. We talked about bilateral issues and world issues. We will have to take out ways to resolve issues of security -food, energy.
Modi: I want to thank you and Ukraine both for facilitating our students' evacuation.
Modi: We (India and Russia) have been friends for decades and been together. World knows our relation.
Modi: We have been working together at all levels. I believe both of us will be able to fulfil the expectations of the world

Putin on Ukraine: I know about your position on the conflict in Ukraine & also about your concerns. We want all of this to end as soon as possible. We will keep you abreast of what is happening there.

Putin:  I have very fond memory of my last visit - I invite you to visit Russia.
Putin: Thank you for the Eastern Econ Forum participation.
Putin: Thank you for the request for Russian fertiliser.
Putin: We are steadily implementing projects in oil, gas, nuclear activities.
 

Pakistan Minister of Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that there was no bilateral or engagement with India during SCO Summit 2022 and while the stalemate over Kashmir continues, Pakistan will work with India under SCO.

India has taken the role of presidency, there are challenges and i hope Indian side will be commendable in these challenges: SCO Secretary General

Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds bilateral meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Russian President Vladimir Putin told a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Friday (September 16) that the group should consider staging its own major sporting competition.

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday (September 16) Russia was ready to provide more than 300,000 tonnes of Russian fertilizers stuck in European ports to the developing world for free if Europe agreed to further relax sanctions on Russian exports. Speaking at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Uzbekistan, Putin said Europe had only "partially" removed sanctions that Moscow says block its ability to sell and send fertilizers around the world.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the growing influence of "new centres of power" on Friday. "The growing role of new centres of power who cooperate with each other... is becoming more and more clear," Putin told the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulates India for hosting the SCO Summit, next year. "We will support India for its presidency next year", said Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

"The world is overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Several disruptions occurred in the global supply chain because of the COVID and Ukraine crises. We want to transform India into a manufacturing hub. 

We are focussing on people-centric development model. We are supporting innovation in every sector. Today there are more than 70,000 start-ups and over 100 unicorns in our country. 

India’s economy is expected to grow at the rate of 7.5% this year. I'm glad that ours is one of the fastest growing economies among the largest economies of the world." 

"The world is overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Several disruptions occurred in the global supply chain because of the COVID and Ukraine crises. We want to transform India into a manufacturing hub," said PM Modi. 

In a message to Islamabad, PM Modi raises the issue of "transit rights" need to be given to countries. It took many months for India to get transit rights to send supplies to Afghanistan via Pakistan. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at SCO Summit at Samarkand, Uzbekistan

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif found himself caught in an awkward situation when he couldn't put on his earphones during his talks with Russian President Putin. The incident happened on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. The device fell off his ears while the talks were underway and Putin couldn't help but let out an audible laugh.

What will be the agenda for the meetings? 

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Uzbek president welcomed PM Modi ahead of the formal start of the summit with a firm handshake. 

Gazprom is finalising construction details of the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline project with its Chinese and Mongolian partners, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, RT reported.

He held talks there with Chinese Premier Xi Jinping and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh on Thursday.

According to the Russian President, Moscow is ready to develop cooperation with Beijing and Ulaanbaatar in the energy sector, including the possibility of increasing cross-border electricity supplies to the two countries, RT reported.

"For this year, we predict 20 per cent growth of energy transfers from Russia to your countries, dear friends, of up to 5.2 billion kilowatt," Putin said.

The 22nd Summit of the Council of Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States (SCO-CoHS) is set to commence on Friday in Samarkand, Uzbekistan after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the summit, the leaders are expected to review the activities of SCO and discuss prospects for future cooperation.Uzbekistan is the current chair of SCO 2022 and India will assume the rotational annual presidency of the SCO at the end of the Samarkand Summit.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to meet with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Friday at the SCO Summit in Samarkand.Following the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to meet with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, reported Chinese state media.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday will attend the first in-person summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in two years in the historic Uzbek city here which will deliberate on major regional security challenges and issues like trade, investment and energy supplies.

The SCO summit in Samarkand will have two sessions - one restricted session which is only meant for the SCO member states and then there will be an extended session that is likely to see the participation of the observers and the special invitees of the chair country.

4:10 pm IST- Bilateral meeting with Russian President Putin
4:50 pm IST- Bilateral meeting with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev
5:30 pm IST- Bilateral meeting with Iran President Ebrahim Raisi

Chinese President Xi Jinping met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan on Thursday and had important discussions about Taiwan and Ukraine.

After blasting Washington’s “ugly” policies, Putin thanked Xi for his “balanced” approach to the Ukrainian crisis.

Ahead of the 20th Communist Party Congress, Xi is confident about his grip on power as he is due to cement his place as the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Uzbekistan's Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit (SCO) on Thursday.

Mirziyoyev awarded Xi with the Order of Friendship in recognition of his special contribution to developing friendly relations with Uzbekistan.

The SCO is an eight-nation security alliance created as a counterweight to US influence that also includes India, Pakistan and four ex-Soviet nations in Central Asia.

Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who has also been hit by Western sanctions, on Thursday thanked China for its support at "difficult times".

Lukashenko met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a summit in ex-Soviet Uzbekistan.

"You have always been not only a solid and reliable friend for us but a serious support in these difficult times," Lukashenko told Xi, according to Belarus state media.

Belarus has been hit with a wave of Western penalties for acting as a launching pad for Russia's military operation in Ukraine and for a ferocious post-election crackdown in 2020.

"You know as well as I do what times these are," Lukashenko -- often dubbed "Europe's last dictator" -- said, according to state news agency, Belta.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that Xi Jinping had worries and questions about the state of affairs in Ukraine, but he commended the Chinese president for taking a "balanced" stance. 

With the largest conflict between Moscow and the West since the Cold War, the war in Russia has killed tens of thousands of people and sent the world economy into uncharted economic waters. 

After Putin predicted that American efforts to establish a unipolar world would fail, Xi said he was delighted to see "my old friend" again at their first face-to-face meeting since the war.

Vladimir Putin took part in a joint tree planting ceremony by the heads of delegations of the countries participating in the SCO summit, which was held at the South Entrance of the Samarkand Congress Center.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has landed in Samarkand for the SCO Summit 2022.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Uzbekistan on Thursday to take part in a meeting of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization.  Erdogan will be joining Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin and leaders from India and Central Asia.
 

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia welcomes energy cooperation with China and Mongolia.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Mongolia's Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh held a trilateral meeting in Uzbekistan on Thursday. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that China was ready to work with Russia to 'support each other's core interests'. He was quoted by state media

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for SCO Summit in Uzbekistan

(Image: @ANI)

Xi tells Putin China willing to work with Russia as 'great powers'

Putin says  Russia firmly adhers to 'one China' policy

Putin thanks China's Xi for 'balanced position' on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed growing ties with Tehran as he met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of a regional summit on Thursday.

"On the bilateral level, cooperation is developing positively," Putin said, as Moscow looks to use the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Uzbekistan to show it is not isolated internationally despite the conflict in Ukraine.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the cooperation among countries sanctioned by the United States will make them "stronger".

"The relationship between countries that are sanctioned by the US, such as Iran, Russia or other countries, can overcome many problems and issues and make them stronger," Raisi said in a meeting with Putin in Uzbekistan. 

"The Americans think whichever country they impose sanctions on, it will be stopped, their perception is a wrong one."

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit.

Iran’s President Raisi and his Russian counterpart Putin met in Uzbekistan on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Kyrgyz counterpart Sadyr Japarov and his Turkmen counterpart Serdar Berdymukhamedov at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. 

Image: Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his Turkmenistan counterpart Serdar Berdymukhamedov on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders' summit in Samarkand on September 15, 2022. Credit: AFP

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday arrived in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to attend the summit. , during which he is scheduled to meet other world leaders in attendance, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

On Thursday, Sharif will separately meet Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajikistan President Imomali Rehmon, Dawn news reported.

Besides Putin, the Pakistani leader is also scheduled to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov.

However, Foreign Office Spokesman Asim Iftikhar had earlier confirmed that Sharif had no plans to meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

An official said although a brief courtesy meeting between the two was possible, they would not be holding talks as none of the two sides had sought a meeting, reports Dawn news.
 

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand on Thursday to take part in the SCO summit, Russian news agency TASS reported.

Thursday, 15 September 2022

1840    Emplane for Samarkand
    
2100    Arrive Samarkand Airport

    
Friday, 16 September 2022

Congress Centre

0940-    Welcome Ceremony of Heads of SCO Member States

0955-    Group Photo of SCO member states only

    
1000-    Restricted format SCO Meeting (1+1)
        
1140-    Joint Photo Session

1145-    Extended format SCO Meeting (1+5)

1345-    Signing of Samarkand Declaration

1415-    Official Banquet hosted by Uzbek President

1540     Arrive Samarkand Regency Hotel

1540-   Bilateral Meeting with H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation 

1620    Arrive Congress Centre

1620-    Bilateral Meeting with H.E. Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the  Uzbekistan   
    

1700-     Bilateral Meeting with H.E. Mr. Ayatollah Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran

1825    Arrive mausoleum of Islam Karimov

1825-    Floral tribute to first President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov

1850    Emplane for Delhi

2215    Arrive Air Force Station, Palam

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit or SCO begins today in Samarkand. While Indian PM Modi is expected to meet Russian President Putin after Kremlin confirmed a bilateral meet between the two leaders, a similar meeting with China or Pakistan, reportedly, isn't likely to happen.

Iran President Ebrahim Raisi has arrived in Samarkand for the SCO Summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping has landed in Samarkand, Uzbekistan for the SCO Summit. said China's state-affiliated news outlet Xinhua

Uzbekistan's National Co-ordinator for SCO has told WION than an MoU will be signed with Iran this time and the country will become full member of the grouping in next SCO summit due to be held in India

Chinese President Xi Jinping met his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on September 14. 

China's President Xi Jinping arrived in Kazakhstan for a state visit on Wednesday, Chinese state media reported.

It is Xi's first trip to a foreign nation since China all but shut its borders due to COVID-19.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's office showed him greeting Xi at the airport, both leaders wearing white face masks.

Xi is expected in neighbouring Uzbekistan later on Wednesday where he will take part in a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional security body, and meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others.

Indian Prime Mini­ster Narendra Modi has no plans to meet his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organi­sation (SCO) being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on September 15 and 16. 

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Here are five key things to look for in this year's SCO summit: 

-First in-person SCO summit after 2019

-What’s there for India?

-Important bilaterals for India

-Iran to partake in 2023 SCO summit as full member

-Ukraine Conflict

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Iran is set to become the ninth member state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the SCO's upcoming summit. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will discuss about its SCO membership as well as meet the Russian President Vladimir Putin for discussions around the Iran nuclear deal.

The SCO is primarily a geopolitical and security organisation with limited infrastructures to pursue economic integration. The group accounts for about one-third of the world’s land and exports trillions of dollars annually. A look at what can be expected from this year's summit.

More inputs from WION reporter Siddhant Sibal - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan's new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will both be in the same room at the Shanghai cooperation organization or SCO summit but any structured bilateral between the sidelines is unlikely. India and Pakistan both became member of the grouping in 2017 and since then leaders of the 2 countries have been present at various meetings, including at Defence, foreign and NSA level. 

The Shanghai cooperation organization or SCO summit in Uzbekistan's cultural capital Samarkand will be the first time both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be under the same roof since the Galwan incident, but suspense remains if they will meet. While as of now, there is no confirmation over any meeting between Indian and the Chinese leadership at the Samarkand SCO summit, any meeting will be significant given how ties have been faring, but a breakthrough looks less likely, reports WION's Siddhant Sibal.

While the Ukraine conflict divides the world, the west is keen on the isolation of Russia. Amidst this, Russia has increased its emphasis on ties with Asian giants like China and India. A meeting with Indian Prime Minister Modi will be a shot in the arm for Russia's Putin. A picture that Moscow needs desperately as it battles the fallout from the invasion of Ukraine.

The Kremlin has announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be holding bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The statement added that the talks will mainly focus on trade and energy ties between the countries.