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SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION (SCO)

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Participants: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

Observers: Mongolia (received the observer status on June 17, 2004 at the SCO Summit in Tashkent), India, Pakistan and Iran (received the observer status in July 2005 at the SCO Summit in Astana)

Background

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization originated from the sessions of the heads of state of the so-called “Shanghai Group of Five”, which comprised China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. In 1996 – 1997 the leaders of the “Shanghai Group of Five” signed two Treaties (“The Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions” and “The Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions”), which paved the way for their regular sessions. The agenda of the annual sessions conducted in each member state in turn had been gradually extended from the issues of interaction in the border regions to the problems of the mutually beneficial cooperation in political, economic and cultural spheres.

At the session held on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai the participants of the “Shanghai Group of Five” and Uzbek President Islom Karimov decided to institutionalize the forum by creating the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

On September 14, 2001 the city of Almaty (Kazakhstan) hosted the first session of the prime ministers of the SCO member states. “The Memorandum on the Main Objectives and Trends of the Regional Economic Cooperation and on the Creation of Favorable Conditions in the Commercial and Investment Spheres” was issued. The participants have also declared their intention to hold within the SCO the routine prime ministers' sessions.

On July 7, 2002 at the SCO Summit in Saint Petersburg “The Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization” was issued. It expounded the Organization’s purposes, principles and the main directions of cooperation. Besides, “The Agreement on the Creation of the Regional Organization for Combating Terrorism” was singed.

On May 29, 2003 Moscow hosted the third SCO Summit. The leaders approved the Chinese citizen Zhang Deguang to the post of the SCO Executive Secretary.

On September 23, 2003 the session of the prime ministers of the SCO member states was held in Beijing. “The Program on Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation” was issued there. The Program determined main purposes and tasks of the economic cooperation within the SCO, while putting a particular stress on the plans to create the system of free movement of goods, capitals, services and technologies within 20 years.

On January 15, 2004 Beijing hosted the ceremony of establishing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Secretariat.

The next SCO Summit that took place in Tashkent on June 17, 2004 was remarkable for the formal opening of the Executive Committee of the Regional Organization for Combating Terrorism.

On July 5, 2005 at Astana SCO Summit the Organization's observer status was granted to India, Iran and Pakistan.

On June 15, 2006 in Shanghai (China) the fifth anniversary Summit of the SCO took place.  Ten documents were signed, as a follow-up to the Summit:

  • Declaration on Fifth Anniversary of Shanghai Cooperation Organization
  • Resolution on Secretary General of Shanghai Cooperation Organization – as of now the Organization’s chief executive officer is Secretary General, not Executive Secretary
  • Resolution on the Regulation of the SCO Secretariat Activities – according to the document the Secretariat “implements the coordination, analytical, legal and financial and organizational assurance of the Organization’s activities, controls execution of the decisions made by the SCO bodies
  • Resolution on Approval of the Program of Cooperation of the SCO Member States in Fighting against Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2007-2009
  • Agreement on the Organization and Holding of Joint Anti-terrorist Measures in the SCO Member States
  • Agreement on Cooperation in the Sphere of Disclosing and Blocking the Ways of Intervention to the SCO Countries of Individuals Possibly Involved in the Terrorist, Separatist and Extremist Actions
  • Statement on International Information Security
  • Agreement on Cooperation in the Sphere of Education
  • Protocol on the Results of the Constitutive Session of the SCO Business Council
  • Plan of Action to Support the Regional Economic Cooperation between the Interbank Association Members in the Framework of the SCO

On October 6, 2007, at the 15th Collective Security Treaty Organization summit that took place in Dushanbe (Tajikistan), the Memorandum on Cooperation between the CSTO and SCO was signed.

Major Objectives

Member states of the SCO set themselves the following objectives:

  • strengthening mutual trust and good neighborly relations between the participants of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
  • promoting effective cooperation in political, trade and economic, technical and cultural spheres
  • securing peace and stability in the region
Documents

The SCO's activities are adjusted by the following regulations and standards:

  • Declaration on the Creation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Doc (35 Kb)
  • Shanghai Cooperation Organization Charter  Doc (50 Kb)
  • Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism Doc (47 Kb)
  • Provisional Scheme for Mutual Relations between Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Other International Organizations and States Doc (29 Kb)
  • Moscow Declaration of Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Doc (35 Kb)
  • Astana Declaration of Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Doc (41 Kb)
  • Tashkent Declaration of Heads of Member States of  the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Doc (35 Kb)
  • Statement of Heads of SCO Member States on International Information Security Doc (28 Kb)
  • Declaration on Fifth Anniversary of Shanghai Cooperation Organization   Doc (34 Kb)
Managing Bodies

The SCO managing bodies are: SCO Council of Heads of State, SCO Council of Heads of Government and SCO Council of Foreign Ministers.

The SCO Council of Heads of State is the Supreme Managing Body of the SCO. It has the following functions:

  • determining the priorities and the main directions of activity of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
  • improving structure and functioning of the SCO
  • interaction with other countries and the international organizations
  • consideration of the most important international issues

The Council of Heads of State assembles once a year. The venue of a next session of the Council is determined according to the Russian alphabetical order of the names of the SCO member states. The hosting SCO leader presides at the Summit.

The SCO Council of Heads of Government approves the budget of the Organization and reviews the issues of economic cooperation between the SCO member states. The Council of Heads of Government assembles once a year.

The SCO Council of Foreign Ministers is responsible for the preparation of the SCO Summits, implementation of the Organization’s decisions, conducting consultations on the international problems. The Council of Foreign Ministers usually assembles one month before holding a regular session of the Council of Heads of State.

The Council of National Coordinators - the SCO executive body - manages the current activity of the Organization. It gathers no less than three times a year.

The Secretariat is the standing administrative body of the SCO. It is located in Beijing.

The Regional Organization for Combating Terrorism coordinates activities of the SCO member states in the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism. Its office is located in Tashkent.

Personalities

Zhang Deguang, Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

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