Daily Chronicles presents snippets of the most important news across the world for this and each day as it rolls in. Check back frequently. To find the previous Daily Chronicles, use the search function on the top line and search for Daily Chronicles.  For the next day or two, the focus will be SCO.  Bear in mind that everything there has already been planned.  That is why we have all the Presidents there – all prepatory work is done, they just need to sign.

Feel free to use as open thread.

For the period of the SCO we will be heavily dependent on Pepe Escobar who has his eyes glued on this major 2022 SCO Meeting.   The long writeup here, gives the background.   This is the orchestra of the majors that is playing out.  A few links so that I don’t have to repeat them.

Pepe Escobar:  https://t.me/rocknrollgeopolitics

Full Coverage from CGTN:  https://www.cgtn.com/specials/2022/sco-summit-2022.html

SCO ended, with the adoption of a SCO leaders Comprehensive Action Plan for 2023-2027.    Some analysts and journalists are already referring to this as the major decoupling from Russia and China from the collective west.  Bilateral and multilateral meetings continuing.

Putin and Modi .

Putin, Modi Talks at SCO: “We Share a Very Special Friendship, Acknowledged by Whole World” – Modi

Some serious positives from talks, as Putin calls Modi a “dear friend”. Here’s the latest:

(https://t.me/RT_India_official/3565)📍Putin: Russia doing everything to end conflict in Ukraine as quickly as possible – Kiev refuses to negotiate
📍Russian leader congratulates India on 75th year of Independence
📍Fertilizer exports to India grew 8x – trade boom
📍Room for partnership in rich history and culture
📍India able to return students from Ukraine with Russia’s help

This is a snippet of Mr Putin’s speech. The Grain deal – we know that the agreement was that Russia could export food and fertilizer to poorer countries and Russia made a commitment to gift a big part of this.  I remember gifting to the Lebanon.

Now it turns out, the sanctions relief is only for exports to the EU, and not Africa and other poorer countries.  I don’t know what one can call the UN, who brokered this food agreement but sure there are words for this.

Did you ever wonder why President Putin is making his major speeches at SCO, and for the UNGA he is sending Mr.Lavrov?

Quotes from today’s meetings are now beginning to filter through:

Uzbekistan: ‘SCO transforms from regional to global organisation’ – Lukashenko

🇨🇳 President Xi Jinping”World in State of Turbulence” – It is important to prevent external forces organising “colour revolutions” in SCO countries

🇮🇳 Modi: “We want to transform India into a manufacturing hub” – Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Must Diversify Supply Chains

Updates from the SCO summit in Uzbekistan:

📍Bahrain, Belarus, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar and UAE to receive partner status
📍PM Modi calls for innovation and organization – from startups to trade among SCO nations
📍President Xi will meet Iranian counterpart Raisi on sidelines
📍 China imposes sanctions on CEOs of Raytheon Technologies, Boeing Defense, and Space & Security following US arms sales to Taiwan region – Chinese FM

President Putin spoke at the SCO summit in Samarkand.

Putin: “Fundamental transformations have been outlined in world politics and economics, and they are irreversible.”

Russia is ready to transfer 300 thousand tons of fertilizers accumulated in EU ports to developing countries.

▪️Russia supports the decision to start admitting Belarus to the SCO.

▪️90% of Russian food exports go to the countries of Asia, Africa and South America.

The admission of Iran to the SCO will have a positive impact on the work of the association.

Cooperation between the SCO countries is built without selfishness in politics and economics.

All applications for cooperation between the countries with the SCO deserve a benevolent consideration.

Sept. 16 – President of Uzbekistan Mirziyoyev announced the start of procedures for granting Belarus membership in the SCO

Bahrain, Maldives, Kuwait, UAE and Myanmar to receive SCO dialogue partner status today

Sept. 15 – Iran is now a full SCO member and next week a Russian delegation with leaders of 80 large Russian companies will visit Tehran.  Mutual trade with Iran increased by 81% last year, and in the first five months of this year – by another 30% – Putin

Pepe Escobar, [9/14/22 10:25 AM]
WHY XI JINPING IS IN KAZAKHSTAN TODAY

First of all, straight to the point: his first foreign trip since Covid. Can do it because he’s totally confident to get a 3rd term in the Party Congress next month in Beijing. He now controls and/or has allies in at least 90% of the Politburo.

Second: it’s all about the New Silk Roads. BRI was officially launched in Astana (now Nur-Sultan, and soon Astana again, but that’s another story) 9 years ago. I went to the auditorium at Nazarbayev University when I was there in late 2019, pre-Covid: that’s where Xi announced it.

Kazakhstan is mega-strategic for China: the strategic western rear, with a veeeeery long border with Xinjiang. The tri-border at the dry port of Khorgos – for lorries, buses and trains, separately – is quite something. An absolutely key BRI node.

The Tokayev administration is quite tricky. Swings between East and West, and is as much infiltrated by Americans as the Nazarbayev era. Xi will discuss some pretty serious issues with Tokayev and tell him to be careful which way the wind is blowin’. And tell him to keep the internal political situation under control.

Then onwards to Samarkand for the SCO, where we will have Xi, Putin and Modi on the same table – plus the Iranians, not yet full members this year, only in 2023. The key will be RICS – Russia, India, China , the drivers of the Eurasian Century.

All that matters happens in Eurasia. This week is one for the books.

Pepe Escobar, [9/14/22 10:43 AM]
WHAT XI AND PUTIN WILL TALK ABOUT IN SAMARKAND

Li Zhanshu is the head of China’s legislature: the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. He’s Number 3 in the rigid hierarchy of the CPC. A VERY big fish.

So where was Mr. Li last week?

Well, at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. He met and talked with Putin.

Li also had a key meeting with Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin – and other Duma leaders.

This is what he told the Duma. Pay VERY close attention:

“We see that the United States and its NATO allies are expanding their presence near the Russian borders, seriously threatening national security and the lives of Russian citizens (…) “We fully understand the necessity of all the measures taken by Russia aimed at protecting its key interests” (…) “We are providing our assistance.”

How explicit is that?

Well, Xi and Putin will have a special meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Samarkand summit tomorrow.

They will discuss the SMO in Ukraine IN DETAIL. Especially the next steps.

Then, afterwards, we may be able to ascertain what Li meant when he said, “We are providing our assistance.”

Pepe Escobar, [9/15/22 4:19 AM]
SAMARKAND UPDATE

Putin is meeting most major players bilaterally today in Samarkand.

Arguably the most crucial is Iran’s Raisi.

And then there’s the mega-crucial trilateral: Russia-China-Mongolia, starring Xi.

THIS is what they will discuss: Power of Siberia 2 – and the interconnector in Mongolia; and Mongolia as part of a crucial BRI corridor, now that China is not using the Trans-Siberian because of sanctions.

Plus, of course, Putin briefing Xi on all aspects of the SMO, and answering some really tough questions.

Tomorrow Putin has bilaterals with Modi and The Sultan (this one will be a howler). Turkey is just an observer at the SCO, still hedging its bets.

All that matters happens in Eurasia – and these days, in the heart of the Heartland that I visited a few weeks ago.

From Pepe

I cannot emphasize it enough.

Xi in Samarkand is presenting China and Russia, together, as RESPONSIBLE GLOBAL POWERS.

In sharp contrast with the Empire of Chaos, Plunder and Lies.

The whole world is watching.

The EU is accusing Hungary of not being a democracy any longer because Hungary is democratically making their own decisions and not obeying the EU rules.

Hungary No Longer “Full Democracy” – European Parliament

On Thursday, members of the European Parliament overwhelmingly voted to condemn Hungary’s slide into “electoral autocracy,” asking the European Commission to withhold bloc funds intended for the country.

In their report EU legislators stated that “Hungary can no longer be considered a full democracy,” due to alleged curbing of “academic freedom, freedom of religion, freedom of association, the right to equal treatment, including LGBTIQ rights, the rights of minorities,” among other things.

MEPs voted overwhelmingly in favor of the report — 433 votes for versus 123 against. The Hungarian government did not immediately respond to the body’s claims.

SCO is not a military alliance.  CSTO is a military alliance (intergovernmental military alliance in Eurasia).

News from SCO 2022 is that the two organizations are discussing closer ties.  This we need to watch.