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Map of SCO member and candidate nations
President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao,
will attend an unprecedented show of joint military force today amid
fears that the Russian leader is trying to turn an increasingly
powerful central Asian alliance into a second Warsaw Pact.
will attend an unprecedented show of joint military force today amid
fears that the Russian leader is trying to turn an increasingly
powerful central Asian alliance into a second Warsaw Pact.
The United States will be anxiously watching the military
manoeuvres - held under the auspices of the six-member Shanghai
Co-operation Organisation (SCO) - from afar after its request to send
observers was rejected.
manoeuvres - held under the auspices of the six-member Shanghai
Co-operation Organisation (SCO) - from afar after its request to send
observers was rejected.
Washington has plenty of reasons to be uneasy. Founded in 2001,
the SCO, which includes the four central Asian nations of Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as China and Russia, is
rapidly gaining a reputation as an anti-Western organisation.
the SCO, which includes the four central Asian nations of Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as China and Russia, is
rapidly gaining a reputation as an anti-Western organisation.
That image seems to be one that Mr Putin is happy to cultivate.
Analysts say that the Russian president believes the organisation is
emerging as a bloc that is rapidly becoming powerful enough to stand up
to the West.
Analysts say that the Russian president believes the organisation is
emerging as a bloc that is rapidly becoming powerful enough to stand up
to the West.
Russia's most pro-government newspapers, often used by the Kremlin
as propaganda vehicles, yesterday proclaimed the arrival of an "anti-Nato" alliance and a "Warsaw Pact 2". At the annual SCO summit in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek yesterday, Mr
Putin praised the alliance's growing strength. "Year after year the SCO
becomes a more significant factor in strengthening security and
stability in the central Asian region," he said.
as propaganda vehicles, yesterday proclaimed the arrival of an "anti-Nato" alliance and a "Warsaw Pact 2". At the annual SCO summit in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek yesterday, Mr
Putin praised the alliance's growing strength. "Year after year the SCO
becomes a more significant factor in strengthening security and
stability in the central Asian region," he said.
In a thinly disguised swipe at Washington, which mirrored earlier
attacks on American "unilateralism" and "diktat", he added: "We are
convinced that any attempts to resolve global and regional problems
alone are useless."
attacks on American "unilateralism" and "diktat", he added: "We are
convinced that any attempts to resolve global and regional problems
alone are useless."
For the most part, the summit's agenda concentrated on promoting
energy co-operation in central Asia, whose vast resources have elevated
the region's geopolitical importance.
energy co-operation in central Asia, whose vast resources have elevated
the region's geopolitical importance.
The West has been desperate to strengthen its presence in the area
but has begun to fall behind both Russia and China in a race for
influence that has been compared to the 19th century Great Game, when
Britain and Russia competed for control of the region.
but has begun to fall behind both Russia and China in a race for
influence that has been compared to the 19th century Great Game, when
Britain and Russia competed for control of the region.
Yet the SCO has wider ambitions. Pakistan,
India and Mongolia all want to join - as does Iran, whose president,
Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, attended the summit as guest of honour, a title
bound to rile Washington. Iranian membership of
the SCO would pose an enormous headache for the United States. Like
Nato, its treaty states that an attack on one member is regarded as an
attack on all, raising the prospect that the United States could find
itself aligned against both Russia and China if it invaded Iran. Yet,
for all Mr Putin's posturing, most analysts believe that an underlying
antagonism between the member states means that the SCO is far from
cohesive, a charge that reduces its chances to be effective.
India and Mongolia all want to join - as does Iran, whose president,
Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, attended the summit as guest of honour, a title
bound to rile Washington. Iranian membership of
the SCO would pose an enormous headache for the United States. Like
Nato, its treaty states that an attack on one member is regarded as an
attack on all, raising the prospect that the United States could find
itself aligned against both Russia and China if it invaded Iran. Yet,
for all Mr Putin's posturing, most analysts believe that an underlying
antagonism between the member states means that the SCO is far from
cohesive, a charge that reduces its chances to be effective.
Thrown together for the moment by mutual expediency, Russia and
China have historically distrusted each other. Beijing, which plays
host to the Olympic Games next summer, has much less interest in
antagonising the United States and would almost certainly block Iran's
accession to the club.
China have historically distrusted each other. Beijing, which plays
host to the Olympic Games next summer, has much less interest in
antagonising the United States and would almost certainly block Iran's
accession to the club.
Similarly, the central Asian nations are wary of the two regional
superpowers - although, for the time being, the tolerance of Beijing
and Moscow for their autocratic ways is more attractive than the
demands to democratise made by the United States.
superpowers - although, for the time being, the tolerance of Beijing
and Moscow for their autocratic ways is more attractive than the
demands to democratise made by the United States.
Even so, today's exercises will serve as a reminder that the global balance of power is shifting.
For the first time ever, China is deploying troops, tanks and aircraft on a combined mission abroad.
The exercises, being held in the Russian region of Chelyabinsk, involve 6,500 troops, heavy weapons and combat aircraft.
While the goal of the mission is to simulate the capture of a city
held by terrorists, the sight of Russian and Chinese troops marching
together will give observers in Washington pause for reflection.
held by terrorists, the sight of Russian and Chinese troops marching
together will give observers in Washington pause for reflection.