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Is the SCO prepared to stand up in world politics?

china.org.cn / chinagate.cn by Sajjad Malik, September 12, 2014 Adjust font size:

 [By Qiguan Hong/China.org.cn]

 [By Qiguan Hong/China.org.cn]

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was launched more than a decade ago to forge closer cooperation among its members. It has done well so far. The group has sidestepped internal tension and international conflicts, emphasizing common issues and finding win-win solutions. Its core principles of standing up to "separatism, extremism and terrorism" reflect the key domestic and regional concerns of the post-9/11 world.

Internationally, the group is generally considered "harmless" because it has not developed shared foreign policy initiatives or counter-narratives of global events, in accordance with the organization's ideals. Its focus on extremism relates well to the global threats posed by militancy and the joint efforts needed to tackle these threats. But should the SCO continue in the same low-key fashion, or has it reached a certain level of development where it becomes necessary to make key changes to its general framework and operations?

The 14th summit of the SCO's six member nations -- China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan -- on Sep 11-12 in Tajikistan provides an occasion for thinking beyond its members' borders. The council of heads of state will review the progress made so far and will come up with new ideas for mutual development and progress. There are also reports that some of the observer members -- which include India, Pakistan, Iran and Mongolia -- might be given full member status. It will, of course, be an auspicious occasion if the expansion plan goes ahead without a hitch. Apparently, India and Pakistan have their backers in Russia and China, and Iran and Mongolia are also not facing any opposition. The planned expansion would make the SCO one of the largest regional organizations.

Apart from the expansion of SCO membership, a key area where SCO leaders can play a role is peace and conflict. Different internecine conflict zones offer opportunities for organizations and countries to play a positive role which differs from the military responses often given by NATO. There are other ways to intervene in wars and conflicts. The humanitarian aspect is often given low preference, but it offers huge opportunities for soft interventions with a lot of benefits. Mediations and facilitations are also important tools for powerful groups like the SCO. Such initiatives offer good dividends in foreign relations and international politics. The resolution of issues in areas like Syria and Ukraine are critical for international peace and security, and SCO leaders should not only take stock of these problems but also develop a collective response to these problems in order to make their organization relevant to the present world.

The time has come for the SCO to take a proactive stance on regional and global issues, alongside the basic objectives of closer economic, security and cultural relationships. To start with, the group can play a positive role in Ukraine, provided that Russia also supports any such role. Once India and Pakistan are given permanent membership, their leaders can also urge for the resolution of several bilateral issues which have stalled close cooperation among South Asian countries. The issues of extremism and terrorism are already one of the group's priorities, but it seems that so far, the SCO's responses to extremism have been of a more military nature than an ideological nature. Performing joint military drills is one example. It is fine to have military preparedness to fight militant extremists, but militant ideals create unique mental subversions in their followers. It is necessary to provide militants' supporters with the proper ideological antidote to cure such diseases and disorders, rather than simply physically attacking them.

The SCO has both the potential and the leadership ability to stand up and be counted, but this cannot happen unless its members transform the group into a more dynamic entity. Let's see if anything changes after the Tajikistan summit.

 

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