The role of economic integration in the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as well as the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and other bodies was the main topic of the panel discussion held today.
Executive Secretary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's Business Council Sergey Kanavsky, Chairman of the Russian State Duma's Committee for Energy Iran Grachyov and Russian lawmaker Vasily Likhachyov took part in the discussion.
The formation of the body's energy club, the joint energy strategy, cooperation between the organization and the Customs Union were discussed during the event.
Sergey Kanavsky noted that in the beginning everyone thought that all the agreements should be signed by all member states, however it turned out that it's very hard to achieve this, and many agreements are reached by two or three countries. There are a lot of successful projects in any case, he underlines.
According to him, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is open to all ideas and suggestions.
Vasily Likhachyov believes that the body is ready to cooperate with countries and international organizations. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is open to all cooperation projects in the spheres of politics, trade and the economy, science and culture, he says.
The only field in which cooperation in the framework of the organization is impossible is the military sphere. "We are not going to establish a Nato-like structure. We already have a UN Security Council," he says.
Ivan Grachyov noted that it was too soon to talk about a common energy space in the region. According to him, it will take some time to establish a basis for such integration.
