Shanghai Group Remains Closed Circle
Shanghai Group Remains Closed Circle
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, SCO, has refused to admit any more members over fears that new states could compromise its interests, say NBCentralAsia analysts.
During this year’s SCO Summit in Bishkek on August 16, member states Russia, China, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan agreed to retain a moratorium on admitting new members, while working more closely with observer states on “practical projects”.
The moratorium was introduced at the behest of Kazakstan in June last year, even though Iran, Mongolia, India and Pakistan are keen to upgrade their status from observers to full members. Afghanistan has also said recently that it would like to join.
Before this year’s summit, experts had expected the SCO to welcome some new members, and talked about the potential problems of admitting Iran given its ongoing standoff with the United States.
Analysts polled by NBCentralAsia say that the SCO upheld its moratorium because expansion would bring too many political complications at this time.
Kazak political analyst Oleg Sidorov believes that the states aspiring to SCO membership are in an “unenviable political position in the world” and are looking for protection.
“Accession into the organisation is not the main drive behind [countries such as Iran] wanting to join the SCO. They need it to secure themselves from the influence of America and other countries in alliance with Washington,” he said.
The ongoing territorial dispute between Pakistan and India also threatens to cause divisions in the group if one or both were allowed to join.
Each member state has unique economic and political interests which they need more time to reconcile, says Sanat Kushkumbaev, an analyst at the Kazakstan Institute for Strategic Studies. The organisation needs the moratorium to set up an effective system of multilateral cooperation before it can branch out.
“The SCO has been around for six years and has still not established any large and effective projects. All of this is yet to come,” he said.
Sergei Slepchenko, an expert from the Perspektiva think tank in Bishkek, agrees, pointing out that no agreements have been reached on regional, water and economic problems that take everyone’s geopolitical interests into account.
“They are looking for new and better forms of cooperation and it would be difficult to accept new members while they are in the preparation stage,” he added.
While the organisation’s quiet resistance makes it appear discerning, Sidorov is concerned that non members will begin to lose interest in it if the circle remains this tight.
Turkmenistan is the only state that would be wholeheartedly welcomed as a new member. The head of the international relations department at Qafqaz University in Baku, Rovshan Ibrahimov, thinks that the SCO would lift its moratorium especially for that country if it expressed a desire to join.
(NBCentralAsia presents comments and analysis from a wide range of observers throughout the region)
During this year’s SCO Summit in Bishkek on August 16, member states Russia, China, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan agreed to retain a moratorium on admitting new members, while working more closely with observer states on “practical projects”.
The moratorium was introduced at the behest of Kazakstan in June last year, even though Iran, Mongolia, India and Pakistan are keen to upgrade their status from observers to full members. Afghanistan has also said recently that it would like to join.
Before this year’s summit, experts had expected the SCO to welcome some new members, and talked about the potential problems of admitting Iran given its ongoing standoff with the United States.
Analysts polled by NBCentralAsia say that the SCO upheld its moratorium because expansion would bring too many political complications at this time.
Kazak political analyst Oleg Sidorov believes that the states aspiring to SCO membership are in an “unenviable political position in the world” and are looking for protection.
“Accession into the organisation is not the main drive behind [countries such as Iran] wanting to join the SCO. They need it to secure themselves from the influence of America and other countries in alliance with Washington,” he said.
The ongoing territorial dispute between Pakistan and India also threatens to cause divisions in the group if one or both were allowed to join.
Each member state has unique economic and political interests which they need more time to reconcile, says Sanat Kushkumbaev, an analyst at the Kazakstan Institute for Strategic Studies. The organisation needs the moratorium to set up an effective system of multilateral cooperation before it can branch out.
“The SCO has been around for six years and has still not established any large and effective projects. All of this is yet to come,” he said.
Sergei Slepchenko, an expert from the Perspektiva think tank in Bishkek, agrees, pointing out that no agreements have been reached on regional, water and economic problems that take everyone’s geopolitical interests into account.
“They are looking for new and better forms of cooperation and it would be difficult to accept new members while they are in the preparation stage,” he added.
While the organisation’s quiet resistance makes it appear discerning, Sidorov is concerned that non members will begin to lose interest in it if the circle remains this tight.
Turkmenistan is the only state that would be wholeheartedly welcomed as a new member. The head of the international relations department at Qafqaz University in Baku, Rovshan Ibrahimov, thinks that the SCO would lift its moratorium especially for that country if it expressed a desire to join.
(NBCentralAsia presents comments and analysis from a wide range of observers throughout the region)
