Russia, China and the SCO: “Peace Mission 2007”
By Shinji Hyodo
6 Jul 2007
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a multilateral regional cooperation framework established in 2001 by six countries: Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, with four countries (Mongolia, India, Pakistan and Iran) sitting as observers. The SCO, formally founded as an international organization, has been actively pursuing relationships with other international organizations while expanding its geographical reach. While the SCO languished in relative obscurity after its conception and the gaze of the world was diverted by the events of September 11 2001, more recently the SCO’s activities have prompted increased scrutiny by the US and its regional allies in East and Central Asia.
The SCO which was originally created with the aim of building mutual trust between the Central Asian countries over their border areas has often changed agenda from energy to military issues according to the shifting aspirations and interests of its member and observer countries. These countries are indeed supporters of a multi-polar counter balance to US unilateralism, but they do not share completely common military concerns, not least between Russia and China. The risk is that the SCO may run adrift from its original purpose as member countries are tempted to utilize the SCO to promote their own narrowly-defined political objectives. Currently, the SCO is becoming more political than practical.
6 Jul 2007
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a multilateral regional cooperation framework established in 2001 by six countries: Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, with four countries (Mongolia, India, Pakistan and Iran) sitting as observers. The SCO, formally founded as an international organization, has been actively pursuing relationships with other international organizations while expanding its geographical reach. While the SCO languished in relative obscurity after its conception and the gaze of the world was diverted by the events of September 11 2001, more recently the SCO’s activities have prompted increased scrutiny by the US and its regional allies in East and Central Asia.
The SCO which was originally created with the aim of building mutual trust between the Central Asian countries over their border areas has often changed agenda from energy to military issues according to the shifting aspirations and interests of its member and observer countries. These countries are indeed supporters of a multi-polar counter balance to US unilateralism, but they do not share completely common military concerns, not least between Russia and China. The risk is that the SCO may run adrift from its original purpose as member countries are tempted to utilize the SCO to promote their own narrowly-defined political objectives. Currently, the SCO is becoming more political than practical.
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