Monday, June 15, 2009
SCO and BRIC meetings
Power and Principles: International Leadership in a Shrinking World, edited by Michael Schiffer and David Shorr, has just been released by Lexington Press. I have a contribution to this volume, as part of the section on redefining American leadership. One of the questions I raised is whether the United States would become more comfortable in integrating the work of other regional blocs and organizations in pursuing its foreign policy aims.
We'll have a partial answer this week. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit is underway in Yekaterinburg, Russia; what is interesting is the extent to which the summit is hosting a series of bilateral meetings. Pakistan's president Zardari and India's prime minister Singh are attending and will meet; Hamid Karzai will consult with Afghanistan's neighbors; Iran's president, assuming the domestic turmoil in his country doesn't get out of control, will attend as well. All of this reinforces the positions of Russia and China.
Then, we'll see what happens at summit #2 of the BRIC--what Brazil, Russia, India and China decide and whether this grouping has staying power or not.
We'll have a partial answer this week. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit is underway in Yekaterinburg, Russia; what is interesting is the extent to which the summit is hosting a series of bilateral meetings. Pakistan's president Zardari and India's prime minister Singh are attending and will meet; Hamid Karzai will consult with Afghanistan's neighbors; Iran's president, assuming the domestic turmoil in his country doesn't get out of control, will attend as well. All of this reinforces the positions of Russia and China.
Then, we'll see what happens at summit #2 of the BRIC--what Brazil, Russia, India and China decide and whether this grouping has staying power or not.
