My two-month internship at SIPRI in July-August 2006 was a wonderful experience, as it would be for any young professional in the field of international peace and security. I was honoured to have the opportunity to be a part of the Euro-Atlantic, Regional and Global Security Project where I worked on a study of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization with a focus on trying to develop a Central Asian perspective in the political and scholarly discourse. I gained many insights and received invaluable support from the project research group.

One of the most pleasant things for me was to find that SIPRI has a unique atmosphere, conducive to a free exchange of ideas and to developing more objective assessments of international security-related developments. SIPRI exceeded my expectations and provided an opportunity to meet many people who are at the forefront of many areas of peace and security research. I believe that for anyone who wants to work in the peace and security sphere, an experience at this outstanding institution is a precious asset.

I would like to express deep gratitude to SIPRI and the OSCE Academy in Bishkek for providing me with this brilliant opportunity.