Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
INTRODUCTION
There is a clear trend in the 21st century for regional organizations to flourish, to
become more multi-functional and to devote themselves in addressing the challenges of
globalizing world, as well as other transnational issues of security and developments.
Given this backdrop, this article focuses on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
being a regional organization geopolitically positioned in Eurasia. In general, it seeks to
study the relevance and responsiveness of the SCO as a model (icon) and/or inspiration
for regional integration and international cooperation. It is interesting, though, to begin by
narrating the historical development of the SCO. This will allow us to know more about this
As the Shanghai Five continued to meet and reach formal agreements through the
end of the 1990s, the Five decided to further institutionalize their interactions. On 15 June
2001, the heads of state for the Shanghai Five again met in Shanghai to sign the
Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the
Shanghai convention on fighting terrorism, separatism, and extremism. At this same
meeting, Uzbekistan, which had previously attended some Shanghai Five meetings as an
observer, was admitted into the SCO as a full member. Praising the role played thus far by
the Shanghai Five mechanism and aiming to transform it to a higher level of cooperation,
hence, at this meeting the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was
formally declared.
Later, in July 2001, Russia and the PRC, the organization’s two leading nations,
signed the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, bilaterally.
The first meeting of heads of government of SCO member-states happened in
Alma-Ate on 14 September 2001. They signed the Memorandum among the
Governments of SCO Member States on Main Objectives and Directions of Regional
Economic Cooperation and also announced the creation of a mechanism of regular
meetings of heads of governments within the framework of SCO.
On 7 June 2002, at the second meeting of heads of SCO member-states which
took place in St. Peterburg, Russia. Parties signed the Charter of Shanghai Cooperation
Organization, which expounded on the organization’s purposes, principles, structures and
form of operation, and established it officially from the point of view of international law.
Additionally, they also initialed the Agreement on Regional Antiterrorist Structure
(RATS) and the Declaration of Heads of SCO member-states. The SCO’s Charter came
into force starting 19 September 2003.
Considering its recent security activities, there are studies which critically examine if
SCO is developing into a ‘NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] of the East’ as it was
regularly described after the anti-Western flavor of the 2005 Astana Summit. In the last
couple of years, the SCO indisputably made huge steps in intensified security cooperation,
operational (military exercises), as well as political (policy concepts). A number of events
and agreements in 2006 and 2007 indicate a cautious development of the SCO towards a
full-grown security organization (de Haas: 17).
Currently, The SCO member-states occupy a territory of around 30,189,000 square
kilometers (SCO countries [full members and observers] comprise a hefty 25% of Earth's
land area), which makes up three fifths of the Eurasia continent (See Illustration 2), and
have a combined population of 1.526 billion (SCO member-states only), which makes up a
quarter of the Planet’s population (CIA World Factbook). Furthermore, The SCO covers
one of the largest geographical areas of any regional organization, from Kaliningrad to
Vladivostok and from the White Sea to the South China Sea. If its observer states are
added, it reaches to the Indian Ocean and the Middle East as well. Its members and
observers collectively possess 17.5 per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves, 47–50 per
cent of known natural gas reserves and some 45 percent of the world’s population (US
Department of Energy).
Illustration 2
In line with its guiding principle of noninterference in the internal affairs of member
states, the SCO is structured so that the organization can do nothing without the express
permission of its member-states (See Illustration 3). While individual states do invariably
exercise a great deal of influence over international organizations like the UN, supreme
power over the SCO actually rests with the heads of state of the member states.
Moreover, the three levels of command underneath the Council of Heads of State are
made up of officials representing the governments of member states: the Council of Heads
of Government, the Council of Foreign Ministers, and the Council of National Coordinators,
respectively (Ibid, Security Council Simulation at Yale).
The Council of Heads of State is the top decision-making body in the SCO. This
council meets at the SCO summits, which are held each year in one of the member states'
capital cities. The current Council of Heads of State consists of:
Illustration 3
The Secretariat of the SCO is the primary executive body of the organization. It
serves to implement organizational decisions and decrees; drafts proposed documents
(such as declarations and agendas); function as a document depository for the
organization; arranges specific activities within the SCO framework; and promotes and
disseminates information about the SCO. It is located in Beijing. The current SCO
Secretary-General is Bolat Nurgaliyev of Kazakhstan.
The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), headquartered in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan, is a permanent organ of the SCO which serves to promote cooperation of
member states against the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism. The Head
Proceeding from the “Spirit of Shanghai”, the SCO pursues its Internal Policy
based on the principles of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equal rights, consultations, respect
for the diversity of cultures and aspiration towards common development. On the other
hand, SCO conducts its External Policy in accordance with principles of non-alignment,
non-targeting anyone and openness (Brief Introduction, SCO Website).Hitherto, because
the SCO is so directly dependent on its member-states for direction, understanding the
China
China has consistently been a driving force behind the development of the
SCO. The idea of the “Shanghai Sprit” and many of the other underlying ideas embodied
in the core documents of the SCO came from Chinese president Jiang Zemin. Since the
SCO’s founding, the Chinese have pushed for better institutionalization of the SCO and
given substantial support for many SCO projects. China’s active support of a multilateral
organization like the SCO contradicts the generally bilateral nature of Chinese foreign
policy (Ibid, Bailes, Dunay, Guang, and Troitskiy, 2007: 48-49). While there has been
much speculation about the interests China is pursuing through the SCO, three general
Chinese objectives are put forward by most analysts: 1.) Ensuring the security of sensitive
multiethnic border regions; 2.) Building a regional economic and military sphere of
influence; and 3.) Countering U.S. and Western influence in the Central Asian region and
in the rest of the world (Ibid, Security Council Simulation at Yale).
Russia
While China is strengthening its influence around the world, Russia is struggling to
maintain its status as a major player in the current geopolitical framework. No longer able
to challenge the U.S. in its own right, Russia would much prefer a multipolar world to one
in which the United States is the sole dominating force (Ibid, Security Council Simulation at
Yale). Russia also views the SCO as having a key role to play in its diplomatic
Observer States
Observer status confers the right to be represented at all higher-level meetings of
the SCO. The current list of Observer States (Mongolia, India, Iran, Pakistan) represents a
wide range of interests, but they are all interested in the opening up of trade across
Security Cooperation
SCO members have also reached some agreements in areas not related to
security. In late 2005, member states agreed on mutual assistance to manage the
consequences of natural disasters and other emergencies. The various national
emergency management agencies of SCO members are now developing ways to enhance
this cooperation (Ibid, Weitz: 106). In addition, there have been some developments in the
form of general agreements favoring free trade, mutual investment, and other economic
cooperation.
A Framework Agreement to enhance economic cooperation was signed by the
SCO member states on 23 September 2003. At the same meeting the PRC's Premier,
Wen Jiabao, proposed a long-term objective to establish a free trade area in the SCO,
while other more immediate measures would be taken to improve the flow of goods in the
region. A follow up plan with 100 specific actions was signed one year later, on September
23, 2004. On 26 October 2005, the Moscow Summit of the SCO, the Secretary General of
the Organization said that the SCO will prioritize joint energy projects; such will include the
oil and gas sector, the exploration of new hydrocarbon reserves, and joint use of water
resources. The creation of an Inter-bank SCO Council was also agreed upon at that
summit in order to fund future joint projects. The first meeting of the SCO Interbank
Association was held in Beijing on 21-22 February 2006. On 30 November 2006, at The
SCO: Results and Perspectives, an international conference held in Almaty, the
representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Russia is developing plans
for an SCO "Energy Club". The need for this "club" was reiterated by Moscow at an SCO
summit in November 2007. Other SCO members, however, have not committed
themselves to the idea
Cultural cooperation also occurs in the SCO framework. Culture ministers of the
SCO met for the first time in Beijing on 12 April 2002, signing a joint statement for
continued cooperation. The third meeting of the Culture Ministers took place in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan, on 27-28 April 2006.
As shown by declaration and actual policy, the SCO further aspires to coordinate
foreign policy and to become an actor on the international arena. According to the SCO
Charter, the aim is to search for common positions on foreign policy issues of common
interest, to maintain relations with other states and international organizations and to
cooperate for the prevention of international conflicts (Oldberg: 17)
In line with the ambition to establish itself as an international actor, the SCO in
2004-2005 established contacts with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and
its EURASEC (Eurasian Economic Community) and the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty
Organization), with the ASEAN, the OSCE, and the EU. It also got observer status at the
UN. The SCO evinced a special interest in the developments in Afghanistan, e.g. by
creating a special contact group of Afghanistan, reportedly to supports its anti-drug efforts
and stabilize the socio-economic situation. In February 2006, it held the first meeting with
Afghan officials, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai met the SCO secretary-general at
the 2006 summit in Shanghai (Interview of SCPO Secretary General Bolat Nurgaliev, SCO
Website)
However, with regard to domestic policy, there is an anti-Western and anti-US edge
to this proclaimed foreign policy. The United States have been denied observer status in
the organization (Maksutov, 2006). The Shanghai Five already upheld the Russian
position concerning the war in terrorism in Chechnya and China’s right to reunification with
Taiwan (Plater-Zyberk, 2007). As mentioned, the 2005 summit asked for a deadline for the
presence of the US-led coalition forces in Central Asia. The SCO contacts with
Afghanistan can be seen as reflecting an ambition to show an alternative to Western policy
there. Likewise, the military cooperation and antiterrorist exercises among the SCO states
serve to preclude such cooperation with the West. Concerning the Central Asian nuclear-
free zone mentioned above, it is noteworthy that the three Western nuclear powers did not
There are still obstacles to the further development of the SCO. Despite the SCO’s
uniting influence, questionable bilateral relations between a number of member states
stand as a stumbling block for the future of the organization. For all the excitement that
surrounds China’s growth and increasing power, even among SCO states there is still a
great deal of distrust felt towards China. Most significantly, perhaps is China’s relationship
with the two largest member-states of the SCO: Russia and India (Ibid, Security Council
Simulation at Yale). Additionally, despite widespread speculation surrounding the SCO,
the U.S. ultimately still has more comprehensive bilateral ties with Russia, China, India
than any of them have with each other (Pant: 52).
As to the opposing interests of participating states, although the SCO has
succeeded in finding some key areas for cooperation between its member states, there is
anything but uniformity of opinion on a wide spectrum of economic and security-related
issues. Among the two largest of these issues are the U.S. Military Presence in Central
Asia and Energy Cooperation (Ibid, Security Council Simulation at Yale).
17 | P a g e The Shanghai Cooperation Organization:
Intergovernmentalism
Creating Regional Cooperative Architecture in
Asia
PS 284
Seminar: International Organizations
Dr. Sylvano D. Mahiwo
With regard to structural problems, as an organization, the SCO lies somewhere
between a loose forum and a structured alliance. Boasting itself as an ambitious
organization that seeks to be actively engaged in political, security, economic, and social
arenas, the progress it has made has varied widely across different issues. Much of this
problem can be attributed to fundamental issues in the structure of the SCO (Zhao, 2006:
115). This organizational problem is caused by political culture or by the attribute of
governments in SCO member-states. The point is that the SCO Secretariat exists, but it
decides nothing. It is not clear at all what it is engaged in. The real executive management
of the SCO is carried out by the Council of National Coordinators, in other words, by the
Foreign Affairs Ministries of SCO member countries. Juxtaposing with experiences of
United Nations and European Union, bureaucratic organization in order to function
efficiently, should present a bureaucratic unit that has decision-making capacity. The SCO
is not a unit of this kind. The SCO Secretariat does not have the opportunity to decide
anything without coordination with the Council of National Coordinators and the Ministries
of Foreign Affairs of each state, respectively.
Lacking a permanent inter-parliamentary body like NATO’s North Atlantic Council,
the SCO has difficulty in reconciling differences among members and enforcing the
implementation of agreements in a structured format. Although, there have been many
discussions and documents produced by the SCO regarding economic cooperation,
almost nothing has been implemented and very few programs even require the SCO's
existence to be implemented (Lukin, 2007: 144-145).
On the other hand, in the Asia-Pacific Security Survey 2008 Report, SCO was
recognized as an effective regional institution, both for building sense of community and
mechanism for practical cooperation (See Illustration 4), next to ASEAN and ASEAN-
centered institution - ASEAN-Plus-Three. It emerged as the Top 3 clear winner as builder
of a sense of community. SCO itself obtained the 3rd highest rating, followed by the
ASEAN Regional Forum, APEC, United Nations, etc. On the dimension of Practical
Cooperation, the analysts also gave “effective” ratings to SCO. Thus, it appears that this
Illustration 4
In the ultimate analysis, regionalism and community building in Eurasia through the
SCO while applying its own strategic approach to regional integration and/or alliance may
steer the organization and its community in the right direction. Accordingly, the important
concern is for the participating nation-states to live up to the agreements they made and to
advance the common aims and ambitions of the organization.
The strong ties between the Philippines and its Southeast Asian neighbors, form an
important staging ground for greater regional cooperation not only with Asian regional
powers like China, Japan, and Korea; but also with other regional organizations like
Shanghai Cooperation Organization as prospective add up to its relations with the world,
that is not only confined with western powers. Through multilateral fora and inter-regional
mechanisms, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the SCO may perhaps
endeavor to promote greater interaction among politico-security, economic and socio-
cultural spectrum. This will pave the way for closer connection with Asian neighbors and
countries in Eurasia towards strengthening and deepening strategic partnership on all
fronts. ASEAN and SCO, through frequent and growing interaction, will develop a solid
relationship that serves as constructive element in strengthening community-building in
Asian/Eurasian Region, moving ahead for peace, stability and prosperity in the continent.
ASEAN, in strong collaboration with SCO, can make a significant contribution to
international peace and stability by promoting confidence-building measures among
member states. Thus, may result to easing of tensions on the way to peaceful settlement
of disputes/conflict resolution, addressing the South China Sea issue and resolving other
border issues.
20 | P a g e The Shanghai Cooperation Organization:
Intergovernmentalism
Creating Regional Cooperative Architecture in
Asia
PS 284
Seminar: International Organizations
Dr. Sylvano D. Mahiwo
Both sides may possibly strengthen cooperation towards Politico-Security
Synchronization through Defense Cooperation addressing security threats, especially non-
traditional security concerns such as: Terrorism and Transnational Crimes; Maritime
Security; Drug Trafficking; Arms Smuggling; Human Trafficking (children and women);
Addressing Environmental Degradation, Environmental Protection and Disaster
Management; Addressing Infectious Diseases (SARS, HIV-AIDS and Avian Influenza)
among others. This will include capacity-building measures to strengthen region’s capacity
to deal with these challenges. Along this line, ASEAN, through ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF), is the only regional organization in Asia that provides a political forum where Asian
countries and the world powers can discuss and consider problems about security,
political issues and military concerns. With the active involvement of SCO, qualitative and
quantitative positive results will be achieved.
ASEAN’s alliance with emerging global powers and existing regional power will
reinforce economic cooperation (Narrowing the Development Gap). This will bring about
increase in foreign trade and investments, improve international tourism, establish energy
cooperation, agricultural cooperation as well. For the Philippines, such strong economic
strategic partnership will provide market for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and
promote international mobility and Recognition of Filipino professionals, among others.
With the formation of a new regional and global partnership, people-to-people ties
will also improve, bringing the region closer together. ASEAN and SCO could work
together in building connections amongst the communities in the region, through
exchanges at various levels and in different fields, (i.e. Education Network and other
People-to-People Exchanges). Promoting greater socio-cultural awareness and
understanding, preserving rich and diverse heritage as part and parcel of creating a
harmonious regional community of nations where people can live in peace and prosperity.
In general, bilateral regional cooperation and integration can help maximize the
benefits of globalization, while reducing its risks. This serves as one component of a larger
political effort to deepen economic relations with neighboring countries. It will also create
Against this backdrop, international exchanges and interactions are traversing from
passive to a more active position (from limited and selective engagement to
comprehensive involvement) wherein multilateral and bilateral relations among nation
states/regional organizations proliferate in a multi-level avenue, in multi-actor involvement,
and in multi-dimensional dynamics. This process begins with economic interactions
moving towards political, security, social and cultural engagements. Hitherto, Metanation
State Concept still retains the nation state as the core and central foundation of
international relations from which most if not all interactions radiate, thus,
intergovernmentalism vigorously facilitates all interactions (Ibid).
Illustration 5
Indeed, in the imperfect Asian region, and Eurasia as well, a multi-phased approach
toward a Pan-Asia or Pan-Eurasia international cooperation is the right process. As
regards the future shape of international cooperation and eventual integration in Asia-
Pacific and Eurasia, it is probable to achieve consolidation and expansion of regional/sub-
regional groupings into a more cohesive arrangement. In this light, the establishment of
harmonized principles and foreign policies will pave the way for a greater regional politico-
security, economic, and socio-cultural connections to include broader areas of
international cooperation and integration (see table 1).
The above table shows the prospective development stages of regional cooperation
and integration in Asia-Pacific and Eurasia. The future shape of international connections
posits the evolutionary process of a more cohesive regional arrangement. Specifically,
Stage 1 pointed out the 10 member-states of ASEAN, which is expected to happen in
immediate future (by 2015). Then, Stage 2 integrated the three major dialogue partners of
ASEAN namely China, Japan and Korea in the context of ASEAN+3. Thereafter, Stage 3
included other dialogue partners of ASEAN such as Russia, India, Australia, and New
Zealand. Finally, Stage 4 holistically integrated other nation-states in Asia and Eurasia,
namely: Pakistan, Mongolia, Iran, North Korea, and the Central Asian Countries
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
Asia Pacific Security Survey 2008, Report by Richard W. Baker and Galen W.
Fox. Honolulu, Hawaii: East-West Center, 2008.
Bailes, A. J. K., Baranovsky, V. and Dunay, P., ‘Regional security cooperation
in the former Soviet area’, SIPRI Yearbook 2007: Armaments,
Disarmament and International Security (Oxford University Press:
Oxford, forthcoming 2007).
Bailes, Alyson J. K., Pál Dunay, Pan Guang and Mikhail Troitskiy. The
Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SIPRI Policy Paper No. 17
(Stockholm International Peace Research Insitutiute, May 2007).
“Brief Introduction to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” Shanghai
Cooperation Organization, http://www.sectsco.org/html/00026.html
(accessed November 19, 2008).
Cohen, Ariel, “What to do about the Shanghai Cooperation Organization‟s
Rising Influence,”
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav092106.sht
ml
“Charter of Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” Shanghai Cooperation
Organization, http://www.sectsco.org/html/00096.html
“Chronicle of Main Events of “Shanghai Five” and Shanghai Cooperation
Organization,” Shanghai Cooperation Organization,
http://www.sectsco.org/html/00030.html (accessed November 19,
2008).
de Haas, Marcel. “The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Momentum
Towards a Mature Security Alliance,” Clingendael Security Paper, The
Hague, Clingendael Institute, November, 2007.
“History of development of Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” Shanghai
Cooperation Organization, http://www.sectsco.org/html/00035.html
(accessed November 19, 2008).