SPARKS IN SHANGHAI COOPERATION
ORGANISATION?
By Rajyalakshmi
The Shanghai Five was formed initially to increase
military cooperation between the member countries. In 1997, the Shanghai Five
member countries had signed the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border
regions at a meeting in Moscow. This treaty was aimed at reducing troop levels
in the border regions and promoting measures to boost mutual trust.
Subsequently, the regional grouping met at annual summits to review relations
between member countries and evaluate regional threats. Annual summits of the
Shanghai Five have taken place in Almaty (Kazakhstan) in 1998, Bishkek
(Kyrgyzstan) in 1999, and Dushanbe (Tajikistan) in 2000. The agenda of the
summit meetings gradually extended from discussing matters of strengthening
mutual trust in border regions to developing comprehensive mutually beneficial
cooperation in spheres of politics, security, diplomacy, as well as
trade-economic, cultural-humanitarian and other areas. In 2001, the summit took
place in Shanghai (China) where the member countries approved Uzbekistan's
inclusion. The Heads of State of the six countries signed the Declaration of
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on 15 June 2001, there by marking the
transformation of the defence oriented Shanghai Five into a broader regional
grouping known as the SCO. The first meeting of the SCO Heads of Governments
took Place in Almaty on 14 September 2001. The SCO met in the Russian city of
St. Petersburg in June 2002 and signed the SCO charter. The economic content
found its place in the SCO at the September 2003 summit meeting in Beijing. The
'Programme of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation' of the SCO
member-state's was signed and the first budget of the organization for 2004 was
approved. On 15 January 2004, the SCO Secretariat in Beijing was opened at a
ceremony attended by representatives of member countries.
The sixth annual summit of the SCO was held in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, on
5 July 2005. The summit was chaired by China and attended by Head of States of
member countries and India, Pakistan and Iran- the three countries that got
observer status. Mongolian President Nambaryan enkhbayar also participated in
the summit. In all seven key documents were signed at the summit which included
a joint declaration; a Concept for SCO Cooperation against Terrorism, Separatism
and Extremism; a Provision on Permanent Representatives of SCO Member States in
regional Anti-Terrorist Structures; a report of the structure's council on 2004
activities. Among these, the Anti Terrorism Concept is a five-page document that
defines the main objectives, tasks, principles, guidelines and forms of
cooperation between the member sates in fighting terrorism, as well as the
implementation mechanisms. The SCO members pledged that they would not give
refuge to individuals accused or suspected of Terrorist, separatist, or
extremist activities.
In addition two things marked a significant shift in the functioning of the
regional grouping. The first was the inclusion of India, Pakistan and Iran as
observers in the SCO. The second was the SCO's demand in the declaration that
the US should specify a timeframe for the withdrawal of its military bases from
the Central Asian countries of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The declaration stated
that some of the SCO member countries had provided their aboveground
infrastructure for the temporary deployment of the military contingents of
coalition member states in view of the military situation in Afghanistan. The
SCO now considers it essential that the US-led coalition decide on a final date
for the withdrawal of these bases. These largest coalition facilities in Central
Asia are the air bases at Karshi-Khanabad, Uzbekistan, and Manas, Kyrgyzstan.
NATO facilities are also located in Termez, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
Statements followed the SCO's declaration from the Kyrgyz and Uzbek governments
suggesting that they were reconsidering the future of US bases in their country.
On 7 July, the Uzbek Foreign Office issued a statement urging for a
re-evaluation of the US military base in Uzbekistan. Following this the Kyrgyz
president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, said on 17 July that the presence of US bases in
Kyrgyzstan should be reconsidered. Some observers say that the point on
withdrawal of US bases was included in the declaration at the insistence of
Uzbekistan, whose relations with the US have been strained following the 13 May
crackdown in Andijan. Though the US has stated that withdrawal of bases in
Central Asia will not affect operations in Afghanistan, US Secretary of Defence
Donald Rumsfeld visited Kyrgyzstan on 24 July in an apparent bid to ensure
continued US military presence in the region. The US has said that the final
decision on withdrawal has to be taken by the countries that are hosting them.
However, on 29 July, Uzbekistan served a formal notice to the US asking it to
vacate the Khanabad military base.
Many observers perceive that reason behind the worsening political Uzbek-US
relations appears to be a problem of perception. Though the US terms Uzbekistan
as a key ally in the war against terrorism, Washington has often termed the
Islam Karimov administration as authoritarian. Washington has also on several
occasions expressed its displeasure at the slow pace of economic and political
reforms in Uzbekistan. While Tashkent viewed the Andijan crisis as a threat to
its security, Washington viewed it from the prism of democracy and human rights.
In doing so, observers say that Washington has ignored both the context and the
local specificities.
There are also reports, which indicate that the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU),
a radical militant outfit that seeks to overthrow the Karimov administration and
establish a Caliphate, has regrouped after its severe losses during the Afghan
military operations. The IMU, along with Taliban and other militant outfits, is
believed to be involved in the Andijan incident. While earlier reports said that
Tahir Yuldashev, leader of the IMU, was killed by US troops in Afghanistan
during 2001, now media reports indicate that he is alive and apparently hiding
in the Pakistan- Afghanistan border region. These reports clearly indicate that
Uzbekistan continues to face threats to its security. Hence, observers say that
the Uzbek government is justified in suppressing the armed rebellion in Andijan,
which was reportedly undertaken by IMU-Taliban extremists. To make matters
worse, allegations have surfaced regarding covert US contacts with IMU leader,
Tahir Yuldashev. How far this accusation against the US is valid is not clear.
But it did show the lack of trust between the two countries.
The Uzbek government has officially stated that the base withdrawal notice to
the US had relation to Washington's reaction to the Andijan incident. At the
same time Tashkent reiterated that it would continue its active participation in
the International anti terrorist coalition and also continue to extend
cooperation to the US in the fight against terrorism, radical extremism, drugs
trafficking and other threats to peace and security. Despite the downturn in
political relations, the Uzbek government feels that Washington still has an
opportunity to restore political relations. -CNF