China, Russia, Central Asian leaders tout new strength
Pastor Dale Morgan
China, Russia, Central Asian leaders tout new strength*
BISHKEK (AFP) - - The leaders of China, Russia and four Central Asian
states took a swipe at US foreign policy Thursday during a summit
touting their regional organisation's growing military and political
strength.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) concluded the summit just
outside the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek with a thinly veiled attack on what
critics see as Washington's unilateralism in world affairs.
"Modern challenges and security threats can only be effectively
countered through united efforts of the international community," said a
declaration by Chinese President Hu Jintao, Russia's Vladimir Putin, and
the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Russia also expressed support for an outspoken attack by Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during the summit against US plans to
build an anti-missile shield in central Europe.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters the United States was
using "invented, projected threats" from Iran as an excuse to build the
shield and that he could understand Ahmadinejad's concerns.
The Iranian president, attending the SCO as an observer, had warned
summit leaders earlier that the missile shield would threaten the
security of "most of the continent, Asia."
The summit took place at a leafy complex under the backdrop of the snowy
Tien Shan mountains forming the Kyrgyz-Chinese border.
Anti-terrorism, anti-narcotics, the environment and economic development
topped the agenda at the one-day talks.
Putin praised the SCO, which was founded six years ago, as a budding
force, saying: "Year after year the SCO becomes a more significant
factor in strengthening security and stability in the Central Asian region."
All six leaders were due to underline that message Friday by attending
the climax of unprecedented SCO military manoeuvres underway in Russia's
Ural Mountains area.
Many analysts see the SCO as an anti-Western club aiming to stem inroads
by the United States and its allies, as well as the NATO military
alliance, in an oil- and gas-rich region that China and Russia consider
their backyard.
The SCO, founded six years ago, is gaining clout as US influence wanes
in parts of Central Asia and NATO forces struggle to suppress Taliban
insurgents in Afghanistan.
In 2005 the United States was forced to close a military base in
Uzbekistan and now Kyrgyzstan is under pressure to end the US lease of
an air base outside Bishkek. Russia says it wants to expand its own air
base near the capital.
Friday's exercises highlight that military capability since for the
first time in SCO history servicemen from all member states will be
involved.
Dubbed "anti-terrorism exercises," the manoeuvres involve some 6,500
troops and heavy weapons in taking control of a built-up area.
Critics, who see the SCO as a bastion against Western pressure for
democratic development in the region, have described the scenario as
training for repression of ethnic or civil unrest.
Putin praised the developing military capability and proposed "raising
the SCO's capability in the security sphere" with regular military
training exercises.
He also suggested the SCO organise a conference on development aid for
Afghanistan, confirming a steady warming of Afghan-Russian ties almost
two decades after Soviet troops ended their bloody occupation of the
country.
Later Thursday Putin met Afghan President Hamid Karzai, also attending
the summit as a guest, and pledged his support. Russia earlier this
month cancelled about 10 billion dollars of Soviet-era debt owed by
Afghanistan.
Others applying for SCO membership in addition to Iran are India and
Pakistan, who sent lower-level representatives to Bishkek, and Mongolia,
whose president also met Putin on Thursday.
The leader of the gas-rich, reclusive state of Turkmenistan also
attended as a guest.
After his stop in Russia for the military exercises, Hu will complete
his tour with a trip to oil-rich Kazakhstan.