By Yu Sui
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The sixth Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO) summit opens
today. It is an occasion to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the
organization, and for top leaders to engage in a formal meeting to
discuss important matters.
In addition to the leaders of the six member states Russia,
China, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, those of
India, Pakistan, Mongolia and Iran are expected to attend as
observers. Furthermore, as a liaison team has been set up between
Afghanistan and the SCO, senior Afghan officials will be present as
guests at the meeting as well.
Representatives of the United Nations, the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations and the Commonwealth of Independent States
are also invited.
The summit will sum up the experience obtained over the last
five years and chart the future course of the organization.
The SCO was founded in 2001, on the basis of the "Shanghai
five-country mechanism," which was crafted in 1996.
Five years of development and exploration have given the SCO
salient features.
First, the SCO is the first regional organization that was
founded in China, named after a Chinese city and headquartered in
the country.
Second, the SCO is one of the international organizations that
first put forward anti-terrorism statements. Co-operation among the
member states has spread from security to economic and cultural
areas. Co-operation in the realm of security constitutes the basis
of survival, regional economic collaboration is the engine powering
economic growth and cultural co-operation serves to bring different
peoples closer.
Third, guided by the principle of "mutual trust, mutual
benefits, equality, consultation, respecting pluralist
civilizations and seeking common development," the SCO is faring
well and has seen accomplishments in various aspects. The
organization is maturing, having gone past hardest initial
period.
Fourth, the SCO never seeks confrontation and its undertakings
are never targeted at another country.
All these have given the organization vitality and energy, which
find expression in the achievements made.
Over the last five years, several dozen co-operative documents
have been signed, which laid down the legal foundation of the SCO
and helped bring about effective and workable co-operation
mechanisms.
In the security field, for instance, the Shanghai Convention
Against Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism was signed and a
regional anti-terror organization was set up in Tashkent, capital
of Uzbekistan. Three joint anti-terror exercises have been staged
and the member states have decided to hold another anti-terrorism
exercise in Russia next year. Effective co-operation in this regard
has led to stability in the region.
The co-operation in the economic and trade field, on the
principle of mutual benefit, has helped promote economic
development of the member states.
The Basic Objectives and Orientation of Regional Economic
Co-operation was signed in 2003 in Beijing, and the supporting
measures to implement the program have been worked out.
Seven panels specializing in quality inspection, customs
affairs, e-commerce, investment promotion, transportation, energy
and telecommunications were set up. In addition, China has promised
to provide loans worth US$900 million to other member states to
facilitate their exports.
In the realm of culture and humanities, co-operation is
progressing in depth, which helps the member states play a bigger
role in regional and international affairs.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev once observed that the SCO,
with its great political and economic potential, plays an
indispensable role in guaranteeing regional security and
stability.
Uzbek President Islam Karimov claimed that the SCO's
significance and influence have gone far beyond the region, and it
has become an international forum that addresses political affairs,
security, economics and humanities in the region.
Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov said that the SCO is exerting
a positive influence on the process of world peace and has offered
a good example for other countries and regions in seeking common
ground and realizing common interests in the context of different
civilizations and religious faiths.
Mutual trust, unity and co-operation are expected to be further
promoted at this year's summit.
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It is expected that a declaration marking the fifth anniversary of
the SCO, together with other important documents, will be issued.
The conference is also expected to make public the documents
relevant to international information security and make important
decisions on setting up the organization's personnel department and
secretariat.
The discussion will focus on strengthening anti-terror measures
and fighting international crime. Issues involved in joint
anti-terror campaigns staged in the territories of the member
states are being worked out. Leaders of the SCO states will sign a
package of agreements and pacts on joint military exercises and
co-operation. Also afoot is the hammering-out of plans to set up a
joint data bank in which information on terrorists, separatists and
extremists is to be stored and shared.
A program of financially supporting economic projects within the
SCO framework is expected to be formulated at the summit.
Negotiations on a transnational highway system are under way, which
includes simplifying customs procedures to facilitate border trade.
Also, co-operative education programs are expected to be signed at
the summit.
All the member states share the same wishes: Independence of
their state, stability of their political situation and the
development of their economy. They have the same concerns:
Safeguarding against terrorism, separatism and extremism. And they
have the common aspirations: Being good neighbors, good friends and
good partners to facilitate co-operation in the years to come.
Fairly complete organizational and legal systems within the SCO
framework have been instituted and working experience gained,
laying a solid foundation for future development.
The SCO member states have huge potential in economic, energy
and transportation co-operation in the future. If a comprehensive
communications network involving overland, marine and airborne
transportation materializes, the vast Eurasian landmass will be
linked up to form a huge economic zone with enormous potential.
The expansion of the SCO depends on the actual needs of its
member states and on realistic situations. There will be no hurry
or rashness.
The SCO will not become a military alliance, let alone an
"Eastern NATO." Economic co-operation among its member states is
not targeted at the European Union. The SCO simply aims to become a
more united, more practical and more effective regional
co-operative organization.
The author is a senior research fellow of the Research
Center of Contemporary World.
(China Daily June 15, 2006)
