The Dushanbe declaration, accepted on the basis of outcomes of the SOC meeting, says that SOC members approve of acceptance in Moscow the 6 principles of settlement the conflict in the South Ossetia, made on 12 August, and support the active role by Russia in assisting to peace and cooperation in the region. Thus, this large international organization has attempted to look into the essence of the conflict and has not chosen the way of definite condemnation of Russia.   

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev was the first among the SOC leaders to support Russia. Shortly before the meeting in Dushanbe he stated that “we support the way of settling this question, proposed by the Russian leadership, on the basis of UNO Charter, and norms and principles of the international law”. Later in Dushanbe, during his meeting with Dmitry Medvedev, he noted that Kazakhstan treats with understanding the peacemaking efforts by Russia in the region. In his turn, Dmitry Medvedev thanked the Kazakh leader for the humanitarian aid, rendered to the South Ossetia, and expressed his confidence that the situation would be settled on the basis of norms and principles of the international law.    

It should be noted that Kazakhstan always gets in the focus of the political events in Asia. The Kazakh President considers it necessary using all the forums and developing any dialogs and having many-sided meetings for maintaining peace on the continent and on the globe. This is why Kazakhstan takes part in OSCE, DCA, MCTMA and Eurasian Economic Union working. 

Convocation of MCTMA (Meeting for Cooperation and Trust Measures in Asia) was done exactly under the Kazakh initiative. This international forum is intended for making effective system for securing safety and stability on the Asian continent. Kazakhstan attaches great importance to forming and strengthening the Eurasian economic community. Besides, Kazakhstan has proposed the initiative of making the Union of Central Asian countries, intended for closer economic integration and creation of the common market in the region.  

Kazakhstan is also holding an active position in SOC that unites 6 members (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) and cooperating with it observers (India, Iran, Mongolia, and Pakistan). Afghanistan and Turkmenia are also showing interest in SOC working. SOC occupies 20% of the global land (or three fifth of the Eurasian territory) and makes for 25% of the global population (and with observers this is just the major part), with the aggregate GDP of 15% of the global one.   

As it was stated by President Nazarbaev, “considering the authority by SOC, this organization has become the guarantor of security on the Eurasian space, which may become the key element of cooperation between Asia and Europe”. At the same time, the participants have requested that no analogies be drawn between SOC and NATO, as these are two different bodies having different purposes. For example, it was decided in Dushanbe to make a special commission for Afghanistan in order to deal with problems that cannot be decided by NATO. “We suggest activization of working by anti-drug agencies of the states, SOC members, on making a counter-drug belt around Afghanistan” said Mr. Nazarbaev. He also suggested making the system of united border control within the framework of SOC, which in his opinion can help struggle with extremism, international terrorism, drug traffic and illegal migration. “Joint actions by the states, SOC members, must be preventive. We need to contain the threats at the initial stage” stressed the Kazakh President. The outcome of the meeting was the signed agreement about order of organization and carrying out joint counter-terrorist exercise by SOC states; also an agreement about cooperation in struggle with illegal dealing in weapons and explosive substances.         

SOC members consider economic cooperation to be the most promising line. President Nazarbaev again noted that “despite a big number of the signed documents, the real trade and economic partnership on the SOC territory is developing quite slowly”. He adduced a calculation: in case of successful economic integration in the region, the SOC states would secure up to 30% of the global GDP, while commodity turnover may reach $70 Bn in a few years to come. Incidentally, the figure does not seem too big, as the commodity turnover between Russia and Kazakhstan has already approached $20 Bn. Possibly, the trade will get more active when the signed agreement between SOC and the Eurasian Bank of Development, belonging to Russia and Kazakhstan, starts working.