Meeting of the heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. What is the SCO

Integration (connection, rapprochement) is one of the processes typical for the modern world. All states have long realized that international isolation does not lead to anything good. That is why countries unite into various organizations on the basis of economic, political, cultural or military-strategic cooperation. This article will discuss what the SCO and BRICS are. When did these organizations arise, and what states are part of them today?

SCO: decoding and general information

This Eurasian association was formed in beginning of XXI century by six states. The issue of reducing the number of military personnel in areas of common borders is what became the prerequisite for the formation of the SCO.

The decoding of the name of this organization is simple: Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Why Shanghai? Everything is very simple. The fact is that the backbone of this association was the five countries that, back in 1997, became part of the so-called Shanghai Five, having signed a corresponding agreement.

What is the SCO? Which countries are included in it? And what goals does this association of states pursue? Let's try to figure this out.

Answering the question about what the SCO is, it should be noted, first of all, that it is by no means a military bloc. Although ensuring the safe and stable development of the participating countries is the main task of this organization. We can say that the SCO is a cross between ASEAN and the fight against terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking is also included in the interests of this international organization. SCO members also do not ignore issues of economic, cultural, and scientific cooperation.

History of the organization's creation

To give a full answer to the question of what the SCO is, it is important to study the history of the creation of this organization. It all started with the signing in 1997 of an agreement on mutual military trust between five countries. These were China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The organization itself (actually, the SCO) was founded in 2001 by the leaders of these same five states. In addition, Uzbekistan also joined them.

Although the very first prerequisites for integration in this direction arose back in the late 60s. It was then that a loud conflict occurred on Damansky Island between Soviet and Chinese border guards. After this incident, the USSR and China sat down at the negotiating table to resolve the problem of mutual territorial disputes.

The SCO countries held their first meeting in the new composition in June 2002 in the northern capital of Russia - the city of St. Petersburg. It was there that the SCO Charter was signed, which officially completed the process of institutionalizing the organization.

Composition of the SCO and its participants

An international organization is characterized by a hierarchical structure. It includes several bodies: the Council of Heads of Participating Countries, the Council of Government Leaders, the Council of Foreign Ministers of States, and so on. Also within the SCO there is a permanent administrative body - the Secretariat. On this moment it is headed by a representative from the Russian Federation.

What are "SCO countries"? In other words, which states are its members?

For quite a long time, the SCO included only six countries, which founded this organization at the beginning of the third millennium. However, in 2015 (namely, July 10), the association gained two more new members from South Asia.

Thus, as of autumn 2015, all SCO countries are listed below:

• Russia.
• Kazakhstan.
• Uzbekistan.
• Tajikistan.
• Kyrgyzstan.
• China.
• India.
• Pakistan.

These are the SCO member countries. In addition, the structure of this organization includes so-called observer states. These include Belarus, Afghanistan, Iran and Mongolia. Three more countries (Syria, Bangladesh and Egypt) are candidates for SCO observer states.

In addition, the SCO is trying to closely cooperate with other international organizations (UN, ASEAN, CIS and others). Their representatives regularly receive official invitations to participate in SCO summits.

Goals of the organization and aspects of cooperation

The SCO states cooperate in several areas. This:

• military security;
• economics and trade;
• the science;
• culture and humanitarian sphere.

What are the main objectives of this integration association? It is no secret that the main task of the SCO is to strengthen the policy of good neighborliness between its members, as well as jointly counteract the manifestations of international terrorism and extremism. In addition, participating countries are looking for ways to comprehensively economic growth in your region.

The place of the SCO in the political arena of the planet

Of course, the key players in the SCO are China, Russia and India. These countries account for about 95% of the organization's total population and total GDP. It should be noted that the overall trade turnover between SCO members is characterized by positive dynamics (and this is in the context of the current and deep economic crisis).

Many experts note that the organization acts as a kind of bridge that “pulls” China into the political field Central Asia, thereby bringing it closer to Russia. The same can be said about India and Pakistan.

For the Central Powers, participation in programs within the SCO is also quite beneficial. After all, this region is surrounded by two geopolitical giants - China and the Russian Federation. However, in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, all Central Asian countries act as equal members who play an important role in resolving all issues.

So far from five states Central Asia Only Turkmenistan is not a permanent member of the SCO.

BRICS: briefly about unification

BRICS is international association, which includes five independent states. These are Brazil, Russia, India, China and all these countries are characterized by rapid rates of economic development.

Initially, this association had the abbreviation BRIC. If you write its founders in English letters and in in a certain order(Brazil, Russia, India, China), then the origin of the abbreviated group name will become obvious. This abbreviation existed until 2011, when South Africa joined the organization. And the name was replenished with one more letter and began to have modern look: BRICS (BRIC+S).

Some experts argue that it was not by chance that this appeared on the geopolitical map of the world. Indeed, under certain circumstances, these five countries can become dominant economic systems on the planet already mid XXI centuries. Their markets, thanks to huge reserves of natural and human resources, are actively and very quickly developing.

However, whether these states will be able to create a powerful political union is still unknown. If this does happen, then BRICS could become an influential counterweight to the United States on the world political and economic arena.

BRICS summits and expansion prospects

Three BRICS members are located in Eurasia, one in South America and one in Africa. All these states are among the top thirty in the world in terms of GDP. It is possible that BRICS will expand over time. Thus, experts call Iran, Turkey, and Indonesia the most realistic candidates for joining the association.

The main tool for establishing political dialogue between the BRICS member countries is its summits. The first full-fledged meeting took place in Yekaterinburg in 2009, the second - a year later in the city of Brasilia. To date, six BRICS summits have already taken place, but all decisions made by group members are purely advisory in nature.

Finally...

IN modern world irreversible. Different states unite in organizations to cooperate economically and culturally, and together resist external military threats.

This article discussed what the SCO is and what the BRICS group is. The first organization united the countries of Asia, and the second - five large states from different continents. But in both associations Active participation accepted by Russia and China.

TASS DOSSIER. On June 9-10, 2018, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit will be held in Qingdao (Shandong Province, China). For the first time, two new SCO member states will participate in the meeting of the leaders of the organization's countries: India and Pakistan.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a regional international association that includes eight countries: Russia, India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Since 2004, the SCO has been an observer to the UN General Assembly.

History of education

On April 26, 1996, in Shanghai (PRC), the heads of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan signed an agreement to strengthen confidence in military field in the border area. On its basis, a political association was formed, called the “Shanghai Five”, main goal which was to ensure stability along the borders of the former Soviet republics and China. On July 5, 2000, the organization was transformed into the Shanghai Forum. On June 14, 2001, at the summit in Shanghai, Uzbekistan joined the union of five countries.

On June 15, 2001, the heads of six states signed the Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. On June 7, 2002, the organization's charter document, the SCO Charter, was signed (came into force on September 19, 2003).

On June 9, 2017, at the summit in Astana, membership in the organization of India and Pakistan was officially approved.

Observers and dialogue partners

Observers in the organization are Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan, and Belarus. Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bangladesh, Syria and Sri Lanka also submitted applications for observer status.

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka have the status of SCO dialogue partners.

Observer countries can, with the consent of SCO members, attend meetings of the alliance’s bodies and participate in the discussion of agenda items without the right to make decisions. Dialogue partner status is granted to a state (or organization) interacting with the SCO on individual directions cooperation provided for by the SCO Charter.

According to the Regulations on the Procedure for Admitting New Members, a country applying for membership in the SCO cannot be subject to sanctions by the UN Security Council.

Goals, objectives, areas of cooperation

According to the SCO Charter, the goals of the alliance are to ensure stability and security in the region, fight terrorism and extremism, develop economic cooperation, energy partnership, scientific and cultural interaction. Priority areas - development of transport infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, oil and gas sector, Agriculture, use of water resources, etc.

In relations within the organization, member states adhere to the principles of consensus, mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, respect for cultural diversity, commitment to joint development. In its foreign relations, the SCO proceeds from the principles of openness, non-affiliation with blocs and non-direction against third countries.

On September 23, 2003, in Beijing, following a meeting of the heads of government of the SCO countries, a long-term program of multilateral economic cooperation until 2020 was adopted, which provides for the creation of a common economic space within the organization. In the short term, it is planned to increase the volume of trade turnover, and in the long term, the creation of a free trade zone. An action plan for the implementation of the program was signed in September 2004.

Structure

Countries chair the SCO alternately for a period of one year, ending their mandate with a summit. Since June 2017, China has chaired the SCO.

The highest body of the SCO is the Council of Heads of State, which determines the priorities and main directions of the organization’s activities, resolves issues of its internal structure, interaction with other countries and international organizations, and considers current international problems. The Council meets for regular meetings once a year; The chairmanship is carried out by the head of state - the organizer of the summit.

The SCO Council of Heads of Government considers issues related to specific, especially economic, areas of cooperation. Regular meetings are held once a year. Also within the organization, a Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, a Meeting of Heads of Ministries and Departments, and a Council of National Coordinators have been created. The permanent working body is the secretariat with headquarters in Beijing.

From January 1, 2016 post Secretary General The SCO is occupied by Rashid Alimov (elected on July 10, 2015 for a two-year term), former head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan and permanent representative of the republic to the UN, ex-ambassador of Tajikistan to the PRC.

Decisions in the SCO bodies are made by consensus; this principle is enshrined in the organization’s Charter.

Security questions

When the organization was created, its main task was declared to be the fight against terrorism in Central Asia. One of the first documents of the organization - the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism (2001) - at the international level established the definition of separatism and extremism as violent, criminally prosecuted acts.

On June 7, 2002, at the SCO summit in St. Petersburg, an agreement was signed on the creation of a Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS; the headquarters of the executive committee is in Tashkent). It coordinates the fight against terrorism, extremism and separatism, in particular, it creates a unified data bank on international terrorist and other organizations and individuals, as well as a unified search register, assists in the training of specialists and instructors for anti-terrorism units, and organizes activities to combat drug trafficking and etc.

As part of security cooperation, SCO member countries regularly conduct joint anti-terrorist exercises, the largest of which are the Peace Mission (held since 2003).

According to the SCO secretariat, in 2013-2017, more than 600 terrorist crimes were prevented within the organization, more than 500 terrorist training bases were liquidated, and the activities of more than 2 thousand members of international terrorist organizations, over 1 thousand improvised explosive devices, 50 tons of explosives, 10 thousand units were seized firearms and over 1 million ammunition.

Cooperation in economics and finance

Economic interaction is coordinated Business advice(created in 2006; unites representatives of the business community) and the SCO Interbank Association (2005; organizes financing and banking services for investment projects). As of the end of 2017, the Interbank Association provided $97.8 billion for the development of projects in the SCO countries.

To finance interstate infrastructure projects and foreign trade operations within the SCO, it was decided to create a Development Bank and a Development Fund (Special Account) of the organization. In 2015, at the summit in Ufa, the intention was also announced to form an International Center for Project Finance on the basis of the existing Interbank Association. Currently, work on creating financial instruments in the SCO continues.

Since 2014, the Energy Club, created at the initiative of Russia, has been operating within the SCO. This is a discussion platform for discussing the energy strategies of the SCO states from the standpoint of their harmonization and developing proposals to improve energy security. The club brings together representatives of government agencies, large businesses and information and analytical centers working in the energy sector.

On September 16, 2015 in Xi'an (China), at the SCO ministerial meeting on economics and trade, it was decided to begin developing a regional economic cooperation program for the next five years. Cooperation will be developed in ten areas, including about one hundred projects totaling $100 billion. The main area of ​​interaction is the development of transport infrastructure.

Cooperation in the humanitarian sphere

On August 16, 2007, at a meeting of heads of government in Bishkek, Russia proposed the establishment of a university based on the network principle. The decision to establish the SCO University was made in 2008 at a meeting of the organization’s ministers of education. The university began its work in 2010 as a network of already existing universities in the SCO member states and observer countries. Personnel training is carried out in priority areas of cultural, scientific, educational and economic cooperation: regional studies, ecology, energy, IT technologies, nanotechnologies.

In 2015 it was developed International card young man(SCO Youth Card; SCO Youth Card), which is both a means of payment and an identity document. In particular, it allows students of universities that are members of the SCO University to enjoy discounts in the countries of the organization. The project was launched in May 2017 in Belgorod as part of the II Youth Forum of SCO Universities.

Youth movements of the organization's countries have been cooperating within the framework of the SCO Youth Council (since 2009). In May 2018, the organization’s first Women’s Forum was held in Beijing, the purpose of which was declared to be “the development of exchanges and cooperation among women within the SCO.”

The organization also operates the SCO Forum (2006) - a public advisory and expert body created to promote and scientifically support the activities of the organization, conduct joint research on topical issues, clarification of the tasks and principles of the SCO, etc.

Statistics

The territory of the SCO (including observer countries) is 37.53 million square meters. km, or 61% of the Eurasian continent. Population, according to World Bank for 2016, it is 3.1 billion people (including India and Pakistan), taking into account observer countries - 3.2 billion (data for 2017 have not been published).

The total gross domestic product (at current prices) of the SCO member states reached $15.24 trillion in 2016 (including India and Pakistan), or 20.09% of the global figure (for comparison: in the USA - $18.62 trillion, in EU - $16.49 trillion).

In an interview with the Chinese Media Corporation on May 31, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the SCO countries account for a quarter of the world's GDP, 43% of the population and 23% of the planet's territory.

SCO budget

The organization's budget is formed for a period of one calendar year in US dollars. It consists of annual shared contributions from the SCO member states. According to the Agreement on the procedure for the formation and execution of the budget dated December 1, 2017, the contribution of India is 5.9%, Kazakhstan - 17.6%, China - 20.6%, Kyrgyzstan - 8.8%, Pakistan - 5.9%, Russia - 20.6%, Tajikistan - 6%, Uzbekistan - 14.6%. The size of shared contributions can be changed at the proposal of one or more states with the consent of other SCO members.

Official languages ​​and website

Official working languages ​​are Russian and Chinese. Official site -

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was created in 2001 on the basis of the “Shanghai Five”, formed after the signing by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia and Tajikistan Agreement on strengthening confidence-building measures in the military field in the border area (1996, Shanghai) and Agreement on the mutual reduction of armed forces in the border area (1997, Moscow).

The main goals of the Organization, in accordance with the SCO Charter of June 7, 2002, are to strengthen mutual trust, friendship and good neighborliness, encourage effective cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific, technical, cultural, educational, energy, transport, environmental and other fields spheres.

SCO members are India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Observers to the SCO are Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia. SCO dialogue partners are Azerbaijan, Armenia, Nepal, Cambodia, Türkiye and Sri Lanka.

The SCO is not a military bloc or a closed alliance directed against anyone, but is an open Organization focused on broad the international cooperation, including the possibility of expanding its composition.

Today the SCO (together with observers and dialogue partners)- this is more than 3 billion people. (about 50% of the world's population). The Organization includes two permanent members of the UN Security Council (China and Russia), the two countries with the largest populations in the world (India and China), three of the five BRICS countries and three of the twenty G-20 countries (India, China and Russia), as well as two of the world's largest energy consumers (India and China).

The main tasks of the SCO in modern stage- maintaining peace, stability and security in the region, developing economic and humanitarian cooperation.

The highest body of the SCO is the Council of Heads of Member States (SGG). Determines priorities of activity, resolves fundamental issues of internal structure and functioning, interaction with other states and international organizations.

Council of Heads of Government (SGP) considers and resolves the main issues of interaction in the field of economic and humanitarian cooperation, adopts the budget of the Organization.

Council of Foreign Ministers (SMID) considers issues of the current activities of the Organization, preparation of the meeting of the Council of State Duma and consultations on international problems, if necessary, makes statements on behalf of the SCO.

The Council of National Coordinators coordinates and manages the current activities of the Organization, prepares for the meetings of the Council of State Duma, the State Duma and the Council of Foreign Ministers.

The permanent bodies of the SCO are the Secretariat in Beijing and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent.

The SCO Secretary General and the Director of the SCO RATS Executive Committee are appointed from among the citizens of the member states on a rotational basis in the order of the Russian alphabet of the names of the states for a period of 3 years without the right of extension for the next term.

Since January 2016, Rashid Alimov has been the SCO Secretary General (representative of Tajikistan), Director of the RATS Executive Committee - Evgeniy Sysoev (Russian representative).

According to established practice, the presidency of the Organization is carried out during a one-year period, which begins from the end of the next summit and ends with the holding of a meeting of the SCO Council of State Duma on the territory of the presiding state. Since June 2018, the SCO has been chaired by the Kyrgyz Republic.

Fundamental documents of the SCO

SCO Charter;

Declaration on the establishment of the SCO;

Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism;

Treaty on long-term good neighborliness, friendship and cooperation of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization;

Rules of Procedure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization;

Regulations on the SCO Secretariat;

Regulations of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure;

Regulations on observer status at the SCO;

Regulations on the status of the SCO dialogue partner.

Today our planet has more than 250 states, on whose territory more than 7 billion people live. To successfully conduct business in all spheres of society, various organizations are established, membership in which gives the participating countries advantages and support from other states.

One of them is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). This is a Eurasian political, economic and military formation that was established in 2001 by the leaders of the Shanghai Five, founded in 1996, which at that time included China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. After Uzbekistan joined, the organization was renamed.

From the Shanghai Five to the SCO - how did it happen?

As mentioned above, the SCO is a community of states, the basis for the creation of which was the signing in Shanghai of China in April 1996 of the Treaty officially establishing the deepening of military trust on the borders of states between Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, as well as the conclusion between the same states after a year of the Treaty, which reduces the number of armed forces in the border areas.

After this, the organization’s summits began to be held every year. In 1998, the capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty, became the platform for meetings of the participating countries, and in 1999, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. In 2000, the leaders of the five countries met in the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe.

The following year, the annual summit was again held in Shanghai, China, where the five turned into six thanks to Uzbekistan joining it. Therefore, if you want to know exactly which countries are members of the SCO, let’s summarize: now the organization has six countries as full members: Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

In the summer of 2001, in June, all six heads of the above states signed a Declaration on the establishment of the organization, which noted the positive role of the Shanghai Five, and also expressed the desire of the leaders of the countries to transfer cooperation within its framework to a higher level. In 2001, on July 16, the two leading SCO countries - Russia and China - signed the Treaty of Good Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation.

Almost a year later, a meeting of the heads of the organization’s member countries took place in St. Petersburg. During it, the SCO Charter was signed, containing the goals and principles that the organization still adheres to. It also spells out the structure and form of work, and the document itself is officially approved in accordance with international law.

Today, SCO member states occupy more than half of the Eurasian landmass. And the population of these countries makes up one quarter of the total world population. If we take into account the observer states, the residents of the SCO countries are half the population of our planet, which was noted at the July 2005 summit held in Astana. It was visited for the first time by representatives of India, Mongolia, Pakistan and Iran. Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of Kazakhstan, the country hosting the summit that year, noted this fact in his welcoming speech. If you want to have an accurate idea of ​​how the SCO countries are geographically located, a map that clearly shows this is presented below.

SCO initiatives and cooperation with other organizations

In 2007, more than twenty large-scale projects related to the transport system, energy, and telecommunications were initiated. Regular meetings were held at which issues related to security, military affairs, defense, foreign policy, economy, culture, banking and all others that were raised during the discussion officials, representing the SCO countries. The list was not limited by anything: the subject of discussion was any topic that, in the opinion of the meeting participants, required attention from the public.

In addition, relations have been established with other international communities. This is where the SCO is an observer General Assembly, European Union(EU), Association of States South-East Asia(ASEAN from the English Association of South-East Asian Nations), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). For 2015 in the capital Russian republic Bashkortostan Ufa is scheduled to host a summit of the SCO and BRICS, one of the goals of which is to establish business and partnership relations between these two organizations.

Structure

The highest body of the organization is the Council of Heads of State. They make decisions within the framework of the community's work. Meetings take place at summits held annually in one of the capitals of the member countries. Currently, the Council of Heads of State consists of the following presidents: Kyrgyzstan - Almazbek Atambayev, China - Xi Jinping, Uzbekistan - Islam Karimov, Kazakhstan - Nursultan Nazarbayev, Russia - Vladimir Putin and Tajikistan -

The Council of Heads of Government is the second most important body in the SCO, holding summits annually, discussing issues related to multilateral cooperation, and approving the organization's budget.

The Council of Foreign Ministers also meets on a regular basis to talk about the current international situation. In addition, interaction with other organizations becomes a topic of conversation. Of particular interest on the eve of the Ufa summit are the relations between the SCO and BRICS.

The Council of National Coordinators, as its name suggests, coordinates multilateral cooperation between states, regulated by the SCO Charter.

The secretariat functions as the main executive body in the community. They implement organizational decisions and decrees and prepare draft documents (declarations, programs). It also acts as a documentary depository, organizes specific events at which SCO member countries work, and promotes the dissemination of information about the organization and its activities. The secretariat is located in the capital of China, Beijing. His current CEO- Dmitry Fedorovich Mezentsev, member of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation.

The headquarters of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is located in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent. This is a permanent body whose main function is to develop cooperation in relation to terrorism, separatism and extremism, which is actively pursued by the SCO organization. The head of this structure is elected for a three-year term; each member state of the community has the right to send from their country permanent representative into the anti-terrorist structure.

Security Cooperation

The SCO countries actively carry out activities in the field of security, focusing primarily on the problems of ensuring it for the participating states. This is especially relevant today with regard to the danger to which SCO members in Central Asia may be exposed. As mentioned earlier, the organization’s tasks include countering terrorism, separatism and extremism.

At the June 2004 SCO summit, held in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, the Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) was established and subsequently created. In April 2006, the organization issued a statement announcing its planned fight against cross-border drug crime through counter-terrorism operations. At the same time, it was announced that the SCO is not a military bloc, and the organization does not intend to be one, but the increased threat of such phenomena as terrorism, extremism and separatism makes security activities impossible without the full-scale involvement of the armed forces.

In the fall of 2007, in October, in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, an agreement was signed with the CSTO (Treaty Treaty Organization collective security). The purpose of this was to expand cooperation on security issues, combating crime and illicit trafficking narcotic substances. A joint action plan between the organizations was approved in Beijing in early 2008.

In addition, the SCO actively opposes cyberwars, declaring that disseminated information that harms the spiritual, moral and cultural spheres of other countries should also be considered a security threat. In accordance with the definition of the term “ information war» such actions are interpreted as an act of undermining by one state the political, economic and social system another state.

Cooperation between members of the organization in the military sphere

IN last years The organization is active, the goals of which are close military cooperation, the fight against terrorism and the exchange of intelligence information.

During this time, SCO members conducted a number of joint military exercises: the first was held in 2003 in two stages, first in Kazakhstan and then in China. Since that time, Russia and China, under the auspices of the SCO, have conducted large-scale military exercises in 2005, 2007 (“Peace Mission 2007”) and 2009.

More than 4,000 Chinese soldiers took part in joint military exercises in 2007 in the Chelyabinsk region, agreed upon a year earlier during a meeting of SCO defense ministers. During them, both and precision weapons. The then Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov announced that the exercises were transparent and open to the public and the media. Their successful completion prompted Russian authorities to expand cooperation, therefore, in the future, Russia invited India to become a participant in such exercises under the auspices of the SCO.

The Peace Mission 2010 military exercise, held at the Kazakh Matybulak training ground in September 2010, brought together more than 5,000 Chinese, Russian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz and Tajik military personnel to conduct exercises related to operational maneuvers and military operations planning.

The SCO is a platform for important military statements made by member countries. Thus, during the Russian exercises in 2007, during a meeting of the leaders of the countries, President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian strategic bombers are resuming their flights to patrol the area for the first time since the Cold War.

Activities of the SCO in the economy

In addition to membership in the SCO, the composition of the countries of the organization, with the exception of the PRC, is included in the Eurasian economic community. Signing by the SCO states translating economic cooperation to a new level, occurred in September 2003. There, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao proposed in the future to work on creating a free trade zone on the territory of the SCO countries, as well as take other measures to improve the flow of goods within it. This proposal resulted in the signing of a plan of 100 specific actions in 2004.

In October 2005, a Moscow meeting at top level was marked by the Secretary General's statement that the SCO organization would pay primary attention to joint energy projects, including both the oil and gas sector, and the sharing of water resources and the development of new hydrocarbon reserves. Also at this summit, the creation of the SCO Interbank Council was approved, whose tasks were to include financing future joint projects. Its first meeting was held in Beijing, China in February 2006, and in November of the same year it became known about the development Russian plans regarding the so-called “SCO Energy Club”. The need for its creation was confirmed at the November 2007 summit, however, with the exception of Russia, no one committed to implementing this idea, but at the August 2008 summit it was approved.

The 2007 summit went down in history thanks to the initiative of Iranian Vice President Parviz Davoudi, who said that the SCO was an excellent place to design a new banking system that would not depend on international ones.

At the June 2009 summit in Yekaterinburg, which the SCO and BRICS (at that time still BRIC) countries held at the same time, the Chinese authorities announced the allocation of a $10 billion loan to members of the organization in order to strengthen their economies in the context of the global financial crisis .

Activities of countries in the SCO in the field of culture

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in addition to political, military and economic, is also actively engaged in cultural activities. The first meeting of the ministers of culture of the SCO countries took place in the Chinese capital Beijing in April 2002. During the meeting, a joint statement was signed confirming the continuation of cooperation in this area.

Under the auspices of the SCO, in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2005, along with the next summit, an art festival and exhibition were held for the first time. Kazakhstan also made a proposal to hold a folk dance festival under the auspices of the organization. The proposal was accepted, and the festival was held in Astana in 2008.

About holding summits

In accordance with the signed Charter, the SCO meeting at the Council of Heads of State is held every year in different cities participating countries. The document also states that the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) holds a summit once a year on the territory of the organization’s member states in a place determined in advance by its members. The Council of Foreign Ministers meets a month before the annual summit held by heads of state. If it is necessary to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, it can be organized at the initiative of any two participating states.

Who might join the SCO in the future?

In the summer of 2010, a procedure for admitting new members was approved, but so far none of the countries wishing to join the organization have become its full members. However, some of these states participated in SCO summits in observer status. And they expressed their interest in joining the main team. Thus, in the future, Iran and Armenia may become members of the SCO. The latter, represented by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, during a meeting with a colleague from China, expressed interest in obtaining observer status in the Shanghai International Organization.

SCO observers

Today, the potential SCO and BRICS countries hold this status in the organization. Afghanistan, for example, received it at the Beijing summit in 2012. India also acts as an observer and Russia, seeing it as one of the most important future strategic partners, has called on it to become a full member of the SCO. This Russian initiative was also supported by China.

Iran, which was supposed to become a full participant in March 2008, also acts as an observer. However, the sanctions imposed by the UN caused the temporary blocking of the country's admission to the SCO. Observer countries include Mongolia and Pakistan. The latter also strives to join the organization. The Russian side openly supports this aspiration.

Partnership for Dialogue

The Regulations on Dialogue Partners appeared in 2008. It is set out in Article 14 of the Charter. In it, the dialogue partner is considered as a state or international organization, which shares the principles and goals pursued by the SCO, and is also interested in establishing relations of mutually beneficial and equal partnership.

Such countries are Belarus and Sri Lanka, which received this status in 2009, during the summit in Yekaterinburg. In 2012, during the Beijing summit, Türkiye joined the list of dialogue partners.

Cooperation with Western countries

Most Western observers are of the opinion that the SCO should create a counterbalance to the United States and to prevent possible conflicts that would allow the United States to interfere in the internal politics of neighboring countries - Russia and China. America tried to obtain observer status in the organization, but its application was rejected in 2006.

At the 2005 summit in Astana, in connection with military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the uncertain situation regarding the presence of US military forces in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, the organization put forward a demand for the American authorities to set a deadline for the withdrawal of troops from the SCO member states . After this, Uzbekistan voiced a request to close the K-2 airbase on its territory.

Although the organization has not made any direct critical statements regarding US foreign policy actions and its presence in the region, some indirect statements at the last meetings was interpreted Western media as a criticism of Washington's actions.

Geopolitics of the SCO

IN Lately The geopolitical nature of the organization also becomes an object of comment and discussion.

The theory says that control of Eurasia is the key to world domination, and the ability to control the countries of Central Asia gives the power to control the Eurasian continent. Knowing which countries are members of the SCO, we can say that, despite the stated goals regarding the fight against extremism and improving the security of border areas, the organization, according to experts, strives to balance the activities of America and NATO in Central Asia .

In the fall of 2005, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that the organization was carrying out work aimed at creating a fair and rational world order and the formation of a fundamentally new model of geopolitical integration. This activity is carried out as actively as work related to other areas of society.

Chinese media report that, in accordance with the SCO Declaration, its members are obliged to ensure security in the region, and therefore they call on Western countries not to interfere in its affairs. In other words, Asian countries are uniting to create a worthy alternative European international communities and build their own international community, independent of the West.

The growing influence of such international organizations as NATO, the UN, forces economic the developed countries different parts world to consolidate for joint cooperation in order to effectively counter the growing security threats and economic problems. One of such international associations was the SCO. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a young international association of six Asian countries, which includes Russia, among others. This is not an economic union, with a single trade space, and not a military bloc, with common troops and bases. In terms of its tasks and goals, it is somewhere in between, covering both components not on a global scale, preserving the individuality of all states.

History of the SCO

The SCO was initially informally called the Shanghai Five. The nineties were quite a difficult time for the states of Central Asia. Terrorist activity increased, territorial claims accumulated in bordering areas of states, and problems of economic relations arose. In 1996-1997, states such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia and Tajikistan moved towards rapprochement in an attempt to get rid of contradictions. The dialogue went well, and in 2001, having included Uzbekistan in its joint activities, a new international organization of Asian countries began to be created. This is how the SCO, or “Shanghai Six,” appeared.

For three years, work was carried out to create a documentary base and structure of the organization. From 2008 to 2012, other countries, and not only those of the Asian format, showed interest in the SCO. The composition has not expanded, but states have the opportunity to participate in the work of the SCO as observers (Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan) or partners (Belarus, Sri Lanka, Turkey). The organization is currently preparing for its first expansion to include Pakistan and India.

SCO structure

• The top of the hierarchy is the Council of Heads of State. The main purpose of the congresses, which are held once a year, is to set the tone, set goals, and discuss important issues for the current year.
• Council of Heads of Government. Members of this body directly examine issues of cooperation within the SCO, outline the goals of committees and structures, give them tasks, and approve the budget.
• The executive body is the Secretariat. Located in Beijing.
• One of the key bodies of the organization is the RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure), whose specialized units are located in all states, and its headquarters are in Tashkent. This structure oversees member states on issues of terrorism, extremism and possible separatism.
• The Council of Foreign Ministers decides on issues of interaction between the SCO and other state entities.
• The Council of National Coordinators creates working conditions between structures within the SCO.

Secondary are the committees responsible for economic and cultural cooperation and others.

Objectives of the SCO

• Effective interaction of member countries in suppressing and combating terrorism, extremism and separatism. The fight against the sale and production of narcotic substances, illegal arms trafficking, and the sale of people. It was this common misfortune that became the foundation for the creation of the organization.
• Strengthening friendly relations in the military sphere, which is represented by joint exercises, exchange of experience, assistance in conducting anti-terrorist operations. Economic cooperation. It is not the first violin of relations in the organization, but issues of trade turnover between states, economic cooperation outside the SCO, development support are an important topic for a number of member countries.
• Interaction in cultural development between the member countries of the Shanghai Six.
• Creation of rights and freedoms and their provision in the territories of member countries in accordance with international obligations.
• Cooperation with other states and organizations.
• Joint search for solutions to global world problems.

Brief summary

It cannot be said that the SCO is a counterweight to such entities as NATO. However, the created military potential of the member countries, which are constantly improving and learning to coordinate their actions in the fight against common enemy, makes the young organization a significant global political player. Despite existing contradictions, whether in the economy or in methods of combating terrorism, member countries know how to find common ground and successfully cope with controversial issues. Now the SCO has strengthened its position to such an extent that it makes sense to predict its expansion and further successful development.