S.C.O. Thread:

Hopefully these countries are realizing that NATO is not their friend and never was. It's a pack of ex-colonialists and neo-colonialists
who need to be contained. India and China need to settle their border dispute. Pakistan needs to stop acting like Georgia under
Saakashivilli (aka the Tie Eater) and resolve the Kashmir issue together with India.

Iran will be able to join SCO after UN SC sanctions are lifted — Russian diplomat

According to Russian president’s SCO envoy, Iran has been enjoying an observer status with the SCO for almost ten years and has proved its commitments and capability of being a good and active member

BRUSSELS, September 14. /TASS/. Iran will be able to kick off the process of joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) shortly after the United Nations Security Council sanctions are lifted, Russian president’s SCO envoy Bakhtiyer Khakimov said on Monday.

"Iran is a number one candidate in the region. The process of comprehensive settlement of the nuclear problem makes it possible for that country to become a member of the organization in the foreseeable perspective," he said after a regular meeting of senior officials from the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) countries.

"We spoke much about that [Iran’s accession to the SCO] with our partners. In general, they share the opinion that Iran, which has been enjoying an observer status with the SCO for almost ten years since 2006, has proved its commitments and capability of being a good and active member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," Khakimov underscored.

"However there is a formal criterion, that is, a state [seeking SCO membership] must not be under U.N. sanctions," he noted. "We have understanding that the signal that has already been sent [after reaching a comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear dossier - TASS] gives a possibility to think about practical consideration of Iran’s application for SCO membership after the U.N. Security Council sanctions are lifted."

"We will insist on settling this issue, since Iran is a key player in the region and has proved its commitment to joining the SCO," the Russian diplomat added.

SCO Develops Road Map for India, Pakistan Joining Organization

According to Shanghai Cooperation Organization Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, a road map for the accession of India and Pakistan to the (SCO) has been worked out and submitted for the current member-states consideration.

The SCO is a political, economic and military alliance composed of six member states, including Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The decision to commence the process of inclusion of India and Pakistan as member states in the organization was made during the July SCO summit in the Russian city of Ufa.

"The road map on granting full membership in the SCO to India and Pakistan has been developed in accordance with the decisions of the Council of Heads of SCO Member-States made on July 10, 2015 in Ufa," the press service of RATS said.

The plan was discussed at the meeting of the SCO’s national coordinators in Beijing last week, it added.

It is expected that the mechanism for the road map’s implementation will be discussed at the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in December in China, the press service told RIA Novosti.

At the moment, India and Pakistan, as well as Mongolia, Iran and Afghanistan hold observer status within SCO, while Belarus, Turkey and Sri Lanka are SCO dialogue partners.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/world/20151029/1029264724/SCO-India-Pakistan.html#ixzz3px8DEeDy

SCO to consider Iran's membership request right after UN lifts sanctions

More:
http://tass.ru/en/world/847525

Nepal receives SCO dialogue partner status

More:
http://tass.ru/en/world/864118

Experts believe that Russia and China will be the basis of the SCO anti-missile defense

China openly offers Russia an alliance against NATO

"in ten years, the key to the new world order will be the tandem of Russia and China" -- Chairman Xi Jinping

"The world is on the verge of radical change. We see how the European Union is gradually collapsing, as is the US economy -- it is all over for the new world order. So, it will never again be as it was before, in 10 years we will have a new world order in which the key will be the union of China and Russia. "

...

"We are now seeing the aggressive actions on the part of the United States, regarding both Russia and China. I believe that Russia and China could create an alliance toward which NATO will be powerless and which will put an end to the imperialist desires of the West."

http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/08/china-openly-offers-russia-alliance.html

In fact the SCO has been and will be this alliance.

Taking it into account, I think the regional distribution of the countries can change to be more adapted to the current real alliances of Russia.

I would expect an important place for the SCO and the countries around in a pro-Russian forum like this.

Afghanistan unlikely to become SCO member soon due to domestic situation — diplomat

More:
http://tass.com/world/941980


Russia confident India, Pakistan to join SCO after June summit — diplomat

More:
http://tass.com/world/941977

George1 wrote:Russia confident India, Pakistan to join SCO after June summit — diplomat

More:
http://tass.com/world/941977

To have China, India and Pakistan united in a same alliance would be a huge achievement for Russian diplomacy. They are trying this for almost 20 years, since the late 1990's.

Svyatoslavich wrote:

George1 wrote:Russia confident India, Pakistan to join SCO after June summit — diplomat

More:
http://tass.com/world/941977

To have China, India and Pakistan united in a same alliance would be a huge achievement for Russian diplomacy. They are trying this for almost 20 years, since the late 1990's.

I think it's dangerous. A good alliance is one that shows that members don't come and ago. When there are two countries with such rivalry involved they're bound to clash at some point - and leaving the union is a no-no. You never stop to think why NATO works its ass off to keep everyone in once they get in? They don't want states coming and going - thus making the alliance weak and victim of electoral moods. There should be strong considerations for every state and all angles extensively analyzed to avoid future failures.

SCO meeting in Astana, April 21, 2017, discussing various issues in preparation for the Summit in June.

India and Pakistan join SCO

Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have signed the Astana Declaration and confirmed membership of India and Pakistan in the organization

ASTANA, June 9. /TASS/. Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have signed the Astana Declaration, the Convention on Combating Extremism and a statement on fight against terrorism, and also confirmed membership of India and Pakistan in the group.

The leaders also approved decisions on the contributions of India and Pakistan due to their new status in the organization. The sides adopted reports of the SCO Secretary-General and a regional anti-terror body of the group on the activity in 2016.

During the meeting, a plan on joint steps on implementing the program for cooperation between the SCO countries in tourism in 2017-2018 and a memorandum on mutual understanding between the SCO Secretariat and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was signed.

The accession process of India and Pakistan was launched at the SCO summit in Russia’s Ufa in 2015.

The Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was singed in China’s Shanghai in June 2001 by six founding states - Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia currently enjoy observer status while Sri Lanka, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia and Nepal are dialogue partners.


More:
http://tass.com/world/950697

Can't never ever trust the Chinese. #1 reason Iran is not in yet is China. China doesn't wanna anger its partners in the West (U.S 660b trade) and M.E (Saudi's and Israeli's). Not much news about China vs. USA anymore.... Pivot to Asia - dead - in essence - pretty much in the backburner for now - low heat....

In that respect it's perfectly fine for Beijing letting Russia and Iran take the brunt of the hit from the West (U.S immediate priorities) and it also avoids Russia from having a stronger pull inside the S.C.O with Iran in.

SCO Missile shield is a pipedream (as with many other pipedreams - Eurasian NATO) as long as China behaves the way it does.

This thing is bound to be a paper tiger until Russia is strong enough to have its previous sphere of influence resurrected (if it wants to survive Washington's long term plan - the partition of the Russian Federation). The power-sharing between two big powers is never ever going to work. In that, the Americans are right. Both Russia and China will deal with the differences as it's beneficial for now until it comes such a time when there is no longer sufficient benefit vs. rivalship. That is, for Russia: ascendance once again as a big power, restoring its political clout and power throughout Central Asia, as well as building strong economic ties and hooking China like a drug user on "neo-Soviet energy". For China, to calm conflict in the region which benefits everyone, but specially them when it comes to expanding economic ties as well as ensuring access to energy corridors. Defence cooperation will be minimal - that is, intelligenge sharing, work on crime/drug and terrorism, deconfliction of some disputes but that's about it. Strategic defense however... as in a NATO/Warsaw Pact organization.... not there yet, not going there. Russia might want it, given its current luck but China certainly doesn't.

Pay attention to Russia asking for Iran to get in....keep watch next year and see if it happens. Already denied this year.

ATLASCUB wrote:Can't never ever trust the Chinese. #1 reason Iran is not in yet is China. China doesn't wanna anger its partners in the West (U.S 660b trade) and M.E (Saudi's and Israeli's). Not much news about China vs. USA anymore.... Pivot to Asia - dead - in essence - pretty much in the backburner for now - low heat....

In that respect it's perfectly fine for Beijing letting Russia and Iran take the brunt of the hit from the West (U.S immediate priorities) and it also avoids Russia from having a stronger pull inside the S.C.O with Iran in.

SCO Missile shield is a pipedream (as with many other pipedreams - Eurasian NATO) as long as China behaves the way it does.

This thing is bound to be a paper tiger until Russia is strong enough to have its previous sphere of influence resurrected (if it wants to survive Washington's long term plan - the partition of the Russian Federation). The power-sharing between two big powers is never ever going to work. In that, the Americans are right. Both Russia and China will deal with the differences as it's beneficial for now until it comes such a time when there is no longer sufficient benefit vs. rivalship. That is, for Russia: ascendance once again as a big power, restoring its political clout and power throughout Central Asia, as well as building strong economic ties and hooking China like a drug user on "neo-Soviet energy". For China, to calm conflict in the region which benefits everyone, but specially them when it comes to expanding economic ties as well as ensuring access to energy corridors. Defence cooperation will be minimal - that is, intelligenge sharing, work on crime/drug and terrorism, deconfliction of some disputes but that's about it. Strategic defense however... as in a NATO/Warsaw Pact organization.... not there yet, not going there. Russia might want it, given its current luck but China certainly doesn't.

Pay attention to Russia asking for Iran to get in....keep watch next year and see if it happens. Already denied this year.

Reaching trolling level.

SCO Heads of Government Council meeting set for November 30 in Russia

The meeting’s agenda includes issues related to the development of trade and economic cooperation and approving the organization’s budget for 2018

MOSCOW, October 9. /TASS/. The next meeting of the Council of Heads of Government from the member-states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is scheduled to be held on November 30-December 1 in Russia, Russian President’s Special Envoy to the SCO Bakhtier Khakimov told TASS.

"Preparations are underway for a meeting of the heads of government from the SCO member-states due on November 30-December 1 in Russia," Khakimov said.

According to the diplomat, the meeting’s agenda includes issues related to the development of trade and economic cooperation taking into account the dominating tendencies in global economy and promoting humanitarian ties in the SCO framework and also approving the organization’s budget for 2018.
Iran’s accession to SCO on organization’s agenda

Iran’s accession to the SCO remains on the agenda, the expansion of the organization is a natural process, Khakimov told TASS.

"The issue is on the agenda, everyone understands that it has to be resolved," he said. Khakimov recalled that one of the principles enshrined in the SCO’s charter is its openness. "The first step to expand the SCO membership has already been made. Naturally, this process will continue. India’s and Pakistan’s accession does not mean that the doors to the organization have been closed," the diplomat added.

Iran, which has had an SCO observer status since 2005 applied for membership in 2008. The barriers for its accession to the SCO were removed with the lifting of the sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council.

SCO to hail Mongolia’s accession to organization

The SCO would welcome Mongolia’s accession to the organization, but there is no formal request from Ulaanbaatar yet, Khakimov said.

"Mongolia is a country among the potential and, I would even say, desirable candidates for SCO membership. It was the first country to receive observer status at the organization back in 2005," he said.

The diplomat noted, however, that Mongolia has not yet formally applied for membership. "We note very stable interest and willingness of Ulaanbatar to develop relations with the SCO," he said.
India’s, Pakistan’s integration into SCO continues

The process of incorporating India and Pakistan into the work of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is underway, some technical issues need to be tackled, according to Khakimov.

"The process of integrating [India and Pakistan into the SCO’s work] has been going on steadily and is on the ascent," he said.

India and Pakistan join SCO

The diplomat recalled that New Delhi and Islamabad had joined all the SCO basic documents when the process of their accession to the organization was in progress. "The package of documents they had to join consisted of approximately 30 various agreements beginning with the charter," he explained.

Khakimov noted though that India and Pakistan should also join the documents that are temporarily used by the SCO. "That’s why the process will be delayed for some time, but, on the other hand, no one prevents India and Pakistan from joining practical work," he stressed.

The diplomat added that some technical issues, such as the use of English in the organization’s work, have not been resolved yet. "Russian and Chinese are the two official languages, and there is no translation service from English yet in the SCO Secretariat. Now there is a need to tackle this issue," he said.

The procedure for India’s and Pakistan’s accession to the SCO was completed at the organization’s summit in Astana in June.

The Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was inked in China’s Shanghai in June 2001 by six founding states - Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. On June 9, 2017 India and Pakistan became full-fledged members of the SCO.

Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia currently enjoy observer status while Sri Lanka, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia and Nepal are dialogue partners.


More:
http://tass.com/politics/969605

What are the chances of the EAU setting up an alience for military cooperation?

If this were to happen I could see many benefits, espetailly for Russia and China as Russian companies would enjoy large scale funding and may even end up designing even more advanced weapons then they already do while China would be able to easily recieve super advanced weapons for its military.

This would also alow Russia and China to protect and expand thier shperes of infuence as well as protect all of thier allies against western agression.

The-thing-next-door wrote:What are the chances of the EAU setting up an alience for military cooperation?

If this were to happen I could see many benefits, espetailly for Russia and China as Russian companies would enjoy large scale funding and may even end up designing even more advanced weapons then they already do while China would be able to easily recieve super advanced weapons for its military.

This would also alow Russia and China to protect and expand thier shperes of infuence as well as protect all of thier allies against western agression.

There is already. SCO.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic, and security organisation, the creation of which was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Over the past few years, the organisation's activities have expanded to include increased military cooperation, intelligence sharing, and counterterrorism.

There have been a number of SCO joint military exercises. The first of these was held in 2003, with the first phase taking place in Kazakhstan and the second in China. Since then China and Russia have teamed up for large-scale war games in 2005 (Peace Mission 2005), 2007 and 2009, under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. More than 4,000 soldiers participated at the joint military exercises in 2007 (known as "Peace Mission 2007") which took place in Chelyabinsk Russia near the Ural Mountains, as was agreed upon in April 2006 at a meeting of SCO Defence Ministers.Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said that the exercises would be transparent and open to media and the public. Following the war games' successful completion, Russian officials began speaking of India joining such exercises in the future and the SCO taking on a military role. Peace Mission 2010, conducted 9–25 September at Kazakhstan's Matybulak training area, saw over 5,000 personnel from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan conduct joint planning and operational maneuvers.

The SCO has served as a platform for larger military announcements by members. During the 2007 war games in Russia, with leaders of SCO member states in attendance including Chinese President Hu Jintao, Russia's President Vladimir Putin used the occasion to take advantage of a captive audience: Russian strategic bombers, he said, would resume regular long-range patrols for the first time since the Cold War. "Starting today, such tours of duty will be conducted regularly and on the strategic scale", Putin said. "Our pilots have been grounded for too long. They are happy to start a new life".

On 4 June 2014, in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, the idea was brought up to merge the SCO with the Collective Security Treaty Organization. It is still being debated.

Russian security chief calls Afghanistan major source of terrorist threat for SCO

According to Patrushev, Russia jointly with other member-states has been calling for restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan through political settlement led by Afghan citizens

BEIJING, May 22. /TASS/. Afghanistan is a major source of terrorist threat for the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Nikolai Patrushev said on Tuesday.

"For the SCO member-states the threat of terrorism and extremism comes first and foremost from Afghanistan’s territory. We are convinced that any unilateral attempts to solve the situation in the Islamic republic by force bypassing the norms and principles of the international law may only worsen the situation and create additional security risks," Patrushev said.

According to Patrushev, Russia jointly with other member-states of the organization has been calling for restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan through political settlement led by Afghan citizens.

The Tashkent conference on Afghanistan on March 26-27 confirmed the need to step up multilateral cooperation, including in the SCO framework. We view this meeting, and also meetings in the framework of the Kabul process as a logical continuation of consultations as part of the Moscow format and the SCO-Afghanistan contact group," Patrushev said.

Any initiatives on the Afghan track should take into account the interests of regional states and rule out the prospects of imposing unacceptable scenarios on them. "In this context, we support the Chinese side’s proposal to hold the second meeting of the contact group in Beijing," he said.

The Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was inked in China’s Shanghai in June 2001 by six founding states - Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. On June 9, 2017 India and Pakistan became full-fledged members of the SCO. Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia currently enjoy observer status while Sri Lanka, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia and Nepal are dialogue partners.


More:
http://tass.com/politics/1005468

The Russians can buy Iranian oil . And sell it to Europe or Asia countries . A pipeline going north perhaps . Or shallow draft oil tanker from Iran , going through Caspian to port  in Dagestan . Russia investing a little less in oil extraction itself . Saving reserves . But spend money in exporting fresh water to Iran in exchange . So Iran can slowly scale back oil export dependence . To buy and import agricultural goods . And fresh meat . Instead putting unemployed people to work on farms . Growing food . And developing a more resistant economy . No single Russian company involved . That trades with yank or Europe . So immune from sanctions . Instead a state owned joint venture with Iran . Kill three birds with one stone .

Does Russia have spare fresh water for sale ? Long term ?

nomadski wrote:The Russians can buy Iranian oil . And sell it to Europe or Asia countries . A pipeline going north perhaps . Or shallow draft oil tanker from Iran , going through Caspian  to port  in Dagestan . Russia investing a little less in oil extraction itself . Saving reserves . But spend money in exporting fresh water to Iran in exchange . So Iran can slowly scale back oil export dependence . To buy and import agricultural goods . And fresh meat . Instead putting unemployed people to work on farms . Growing food . And developing a more resistant economy . No single Russian company involved . That trades with yank or Europe . So immune from sanctions . Instead a state owned joint venture with Iran . Kill three birds with one stone .

and do you kno that every oil deposit has its own characteristics and Russian oil cannot be processed in installations with parameter for Iranian one an d the other way around?
There is no magic weapon against sanctions . changing ownership means nothing. For Iran definitely SCO on political level and India as main import partner make sense.

@Gunshipdemocracy

Ok . The Russians can use Iranian oil for domestic use . And export their own reserves . This way no European country is effected by source of oil . Processing different grades of oil is a technical modifications to existing plant .

I remember hearing years ago , the Saudis dragging an iceberg from north Pole by ship to Arabia . But it melted ! A lot of fresh water is locked away in ice and snow . Perhaps it could be melted . By waste heat from plants . It should be piped . As canals expose to UV radiation will evaporate on route .