Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, Australian Defence College | The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: A Partner for Stabilising Afghanistan?

Type :	Academic Article
Title :	The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: A Partner for Stabilising Afghanistan?
Source :	Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, Australian Defence College
Date Added:	6-Nov-2009
Publication Date :	5-Nov-2009
URL :	http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/documents/CDSS_ShangaiCooperation_ PartnershipStabilisingAfghanistan.pdf
Abstract :	In efforts to bring stability and security to Afghanistan, the international community of states may have overlooked a critical ally; the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. This paper argues that the Organisation should be considered a partner in the international stabilisation efforts in Afghanistan, and proposes that Australia is well-placed to be the facilitator for such a venture. On 27 March 2009 the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) met in Moscow to hold a Special Conference on Afghanistan. This conference injected China, Russia and four Central Asian republics into the international dialogue over Afghanistan, establishing the SCO as an increasingly important stakeholder in the security and stability of Afghanistan. Yet, at a time when Canberra was considering its future military commitment to Afghanistan, few Australians noticed this important event. This paper will address the SCO’s potential as a partner to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in stabilizing Afghanistan. It will contend that by leading SCO in such a partnership, China will further its position in the region and achieve recognition as a responsible stakeholder in the global community. The paper will propose that Australia, as a non‐NATO nation, is well positioned to facilitate NATOSCO security cooperation in Central Asia.
Topics :	International and Regional Organizations Conflict Resolution and Peacemaking
Regions :	Americas > North America > United States Asia-Pacific > Central Asia > Afghanistan Asia-Pacific > Northeast Asia > China Europe > Central and Eastern Europe > Russia

Xinhua | Iran to play its due role as Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) observer, says spokesman

BEIJING, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- China said Iran will play its due role as observer of the prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

Spokesman Ma Zhaoxu made the remarks at a regular news briefing.

Mohammad Reza Rahimi, first Vice President of Iran, will attend the eighth prime ministers' meeting of SCO member states slated for Wednesday. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will meet with him, Ma said.

"As a SCO observer, I believe Iran will play its due role like other observers," He said.

The SCO groups China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Leaders from four observers-Mongolia, India, Iran and Pakistan will also be present at the meeting. China has also invited Afghanistan leader as well.

Putin visits China: $5 Billion in energy, infrastructure and telecoms expected & take part in a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperative Organization SCO

12 October, 2009, 17:32

Russia and China are set to seal deals worth more than five billion dollars in energy, infrastructure and telecoms. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is leading a high-powered delegation to the eastern country.

Around a hundred top Russian business leaders form the delegation, hoping to win a bigger slice of one of the world’s largest markets.

Putin will meet with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao during his visit, as well as China’s President Hu Jintao, and will take part in a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The meeting is expected to focus on the strengthening of humanitarian and economic cooperation between the SCO member states, including their cooperation in overcoming the consequences of the global financial crisis.

Heads of Government of the SCO member states are also to discuss joint projects in the transport, energy, information and telecommunication spheres.

The SCO, founded in 2001, consists of Russia, China and the ex-Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

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Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an intergovernmental mutual-security organisation.

Although the declaration on the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation contained a statement that it "is not an alliance directed against other states and regions and it adheres to the principle of openness", many observers believe that one of the original purposes of the SCO was to serve as a counterbalance to NATO and the United States and in particular to avoid conflicts that would allow the United States to intervene in areas bordering both Russia and China.^[40][41] And although not a member state, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has used his speeches at the SCO to make verbal attacks against the United States.^[42]

The United States applied for observer status in the SCO, but was rejected in 2005.^[43]

At the Astana summit in July 2005, with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq foreshadowing an indefinite presence of U.S. forces in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, the SCO urged the U.S. to set a timetable for withdrawing its troops from SCO member states. Shortly afterwards, Uzbekistan asked the U.S. to leave the K-2 air base,^[44].

Recently the SCO has made no direct comments against the U.S. or its military presence in the region. However, several indirect statements at the past summits, including the 2007 summit in Bishkek, have been viewed as "thinly veiled swipes at Washington".^[45]

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