Shanghai Cooperation Organization

[devi9]

I was interested to hear what everyone thought about the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Also, if anyone knows how to say it in Chinese please let me know! Thanks!

[fenlan]

It will be

上海合作组织

[skylee]

上海合作組織 (shang4 hai3 he2 zuo4 zu3 zhi1)

[devi9]

Thank you skylee and fenlan!

[gato]

http://nytimes.com/2005/07/25/international/asia/25cnd-rumsfeld.html

July 25, 2005

Rumsfeld Seeks Deal on Bases in Kyrgyzstan

By ERIC SCHMITT

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, July 25 - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld arrived in this Central Asian nation today to shore up an unsettled military basing arrangement here that has been critical to operations in Afghanistan. The refueling and cargo mission operated by the American military from Manas Air Base, just outside the Kyrgyz capital, has been essential to ferry aid, troops and equipment to and from Afghanistan. About 1,000 American troops operate from the airfield, the base for a dozen KC-135 refueling jets and C-130 cargo planes.

Mr. Rumsfeld told reporters traveling with him en route here from Washington that the status of the bases was a matter of negotiations with the host countries, not the regional alliance, which is known as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and is dominated by Russia and China.

Ten days ago, Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was even blunter in his assessment of the alliance's demand: "It looks to me like two very large countries were trying to bully some smaller countries."

On Tuesday, Mr. Rumsfeld will meet here with President-elect Kurmanbek S. Bakiyev, a former opposition leader who won a landslide victory in the July 10 elections that international observers generally praised for their openness and democratic integrity.

During his campaign, Mr. Bakiyev repeated the Shanghai alliance's demand for a deadline to the American presence. But since the election, some of Mr. Bakiyev's aides and other Kyrgyz officials appear to be trying to finesse that position, in what some regional analysts say could be a canny effort to balance the government's foreign policy with Russia, China and the United States. "We have to ensure that our security and economic interests are protected," Kyrgyzstan's Security Council secretary, Miroslav Niyasov, said earlier this month, noting the government's intention to "do its best to avoid spoiling relations with Washington."

[wushijiao]

I've heard that this Org hasn't gained much power because the other members are fearful that China could dominate it economically, in the sense that Russia is afraid to sign a free trade deal with China.

It seems like, from gato's above article, that countries like Kyrgyzstan have to find a balance of playing off the regional powers- Russia, China and the US.

[devi9]

Interesting article:

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=19041

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization

By Frederick W. Stakelbeck

FrontPageMagazine.com | August 8, 2005

"...A growing number of Western observers, however, fear that the SCO is less a cooperative arrangement and more a modern day “Warsaw Pact,” determined to reduce U.S. global influence and confront what is perceived as growing Western expansionism in Central Asia and the Middle East. The addition of India, Iran, Pakistan and Mongolia as “observers” to the SCO, coupled with the abrupt rejection of U.S. requests for observer status, raise important questions concerning the organization’s long-term strategic goals and vision.

...Some U.S. leaders view the recent SCO request for the withdraw U.S. troops as the result of China and Russia bullying its smaller, less-experienced members. In July, a high ranking Russian official flatly rejected accusations made by U.S. General Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that Russia and China were behind such requests, “As is well known, all decisions made within the framework of the SCO are consensus based and reflect the collective opinion of all the member countries,” the official said."

Looks like you're right there, wushijiao! Except it looks like China and Russia are on pretty good terms:

"Adding to Western suspicions surrounding the SCO, its two key members, Russia and China, continue to foster close military ties. China has accelerated its purchase of advanced Russian fighters, unmanned aircraft, long and short-range missiles, sophisticated submarines and guided-missile destroyers as part of their ongoing military modernization program.

In addition, Russia recently tested a new anti-ship weapon, a modified Raduga Kh-59 launched from an SU-30MK2 aircraft, which they hope to sell to China. The new missile is specifically designed to attack large naval targets such as U.S. carriers. “The Raduga Kh-59 is a serious story that is just beginning,” stated Robert Fisher, vice president of the International Assessment and Strategy Center.

Later this month, the first ever combined China-Russia bilateral military maneuvers dubbed “Peace Mission 2005” are scheduled to take place in the coastal Chinese province of Shandong and in the Russian Far East. In an unexpected move that seems to support assertions of greater military cooperation, China and Russia invited the defense ministers of the SCO observer countries to watch the joint military exercises. The exercises will include over 10,000 army, navy marine, airborne and logistics units."