Prospects of CSTO and SCO in Regional Politics of Central Asia

Year 2020, Volume: 2 Issue: 4 (Çin Özel Sayısı), 30 - 50, 21.08.2020

Sarwat Rauf

Abstract

This paper examines the coordination between the two organizations in Central Asia viz. the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). It identifies the priorities of the members of the CSTO and SCO and their likely actions towards each other. Both organizations are headed by non-Western powers and they claim to be security providers in Central Asian region. However, the security puzzle is still unresolved and this pertinent problem invokes scholars to research the issue. There is growing skepticism that Russia has leaned toward hedging of China in Central Asia and some scholars have projected a clash between great powers in Central Asia. In this background, this paper seeks to study the actions and policies of Russia and China concerning regional integration and security bequests. It offers the account of security threats in Central Asia and the functioning of SCO and CSTO to cope up challenges. The focus is on the efforts of SCO and CSTO to conjure up local leaders of CARs to take collective problem-solving actions and their responses. Overall, an analysis of the functioning of CSTO and SCO and member states’ efforts over countering terrorism, coordination and intelligence sharing has been presented.

Keywords

SCO, CSTO, China, Russia, Security

Supporting Institution

NO

Project Number

2

References

• 1. Arkady Dubnov, “Reflecting on a Quarter Century of Russia’s Relations With Central Asia”, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, (April 19, 2018), Available at https://carnegieendowment.org/2018/04/19/reflecting-on-quarter-century-of-russia-s-relations-with-central-asia-pub-76117 2. “Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation”, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (December 1, 2016), https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/official_documents/-/asset_publisher/CptICkB6BZ29/content/id/2542248 3. Ibid. 4. Paul Stronski and Nicole Ng, “Cooperation and Competition Russia and China in Central Asia, the Russian Far East, and the Arctic”, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington DC. (2018), 09. 5. Marcin Kaczmarski, “Russia-China Relations in Central Asia: Why Is There a Surprising Absence of Rivalry?”, The Asan Forum, Vol.8, No.2 (August 19, 2019), Available at http://www.theasanforum.org/russia-china-relations-in-central-asia-why-is-there-a-surprising-absence-of-rivalry/
• 6. David Ceasar Wani, “Russia-China Relations: Engagement abilities in Managing their Differences in Central Asia”, Modern Diplomacy, (April 4, 2020), Available at https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2020/04/04/russia-china-relations-engagement-abilities-in-managing-their-differences-in-central-asia/ 7. Vladislav Inozemtsev, “Integrating the Eurasian Union and China’s Belt and Road: A Bridge Too Far?”, Eurasia Daily Monitor, V: 16, Issue: 91, (June 21, 2019). Available at https://jamestown.org/program/integrating-the-eurasian-union-and-chinas-belt-and-road-a-bridge-too-far/
• 8. Arkady Dubnov, “Reflecting on a Quarter Century of Russia’s Relations with Central Asia”, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, April 19, 2018, https://carnegieendowment.org/2018/04/19/reflecting-on-quarter-century-of-russia-s-relations-with-central-asia-pub-76117. 9. Vladislav Inozemtsev, Integrating the Eurasian Union and China’s Belt and Road: A Bridge Too Far?”, (Ref. 7). 10. Paul De Grauwe “Why Russia is economically weak and politically strong”, London School of Economics and Political Science, (April 28, 2018), Available at https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2018/04/28/why-russia-is-economically-weak-and-politically-strong/ 11. Yulia Nikitina, Security cooperation in the Post-Soviet area within the Collective Security Treaty Organization”, Instituto Per GLI Di Politica Internazioale (ISPI), No. 152, (January 2013), 3. Available at https://www.ispionline.it/it/documents/Analysis_152_2013.pdf 12. Karena Avedissian, “What is the Collective Security Treaty Organization?”, EVN Report, ( October 06, 2019), https://www.evnreport.com/understanding-the-region/fact-sheet-what-is-the-collective-security-treaty-organization 13. Richard Weitz, “Assessing the Collective Security Treaty Organization: Capabilities and Vulnerabilities”, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College (2018), 7. 14. “Russia to help CSTO countries make more friends: Putin”, Xinhua Net, (November 28, 2019). http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-11/28/c_138590694.htm 15. Official website of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), http://www.odkb.gov.ru/start/index_aengl.htm. 16. Uzbekistan has joined the CSTO twice and left twice, 1994-1999 and 2006-2012. 17. Fabio Indeo, Russia-China military cooperation in Central Asia: A Temporary Convergence of Strategic Interests”, Italian Institute for International Political Studies, (December 21, 2018), Available at https://www.ispionline.it/en/pubblicazione/russia-china-military-cooperation-central-asia-temporary-convergence-strategic-interests-21832 18. Farkhod Tolipov, “Uzbekistan Without The CSTO”, The Central Asia-Caucasus (CACI) Analyst, (February 20, 2013), Available at https://www.cacianalyst.org/publications/analytical-articles/item/12652-uzbekistan-without-the-csto.html 19. Helena Rytövuori-Apunen and Furugzod Usmonov, “Tajikistan’s Unsettled Security: Borderland Dynamics of the Outpost on Russia’s Afghan Frontier” in the book of Helena Rytövuori-Apunen ed., The Regional Security Puzzle around Afghanistan (Toronto: Verlag Barbara Budrich, 2016), 134. 20. Elia Bescotti, “The Collective Security Treaty Organization and its Limits on Integration”, Analytical media: “Eurasian Studies”, (January 02, 2018), http://greater-europe.org/archives/3965. 21. Tayyab Baloch, "NATO Challenges SCO and CSTO in Afghanistan", geopolitica.ru, (June 14, 2016), Available at https://www.geopolitica.ru/en/article/nato-challenges-sco-and-csto-afghanistan 22. Fabio Indeo, Russia-China military cooperation in Central Asia: A Temporary Convergence of Strategic Interests”, REF: 17 23. Maryna V. Shavialiova, "Energy: Cooperation and Competition within the SCO", in Anatoliy A. Rozanov ed., The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Central Asia’s Security Challenges, (Geneva: Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, 2013), 51. 24. Richard Weitz, “Eurasian Security Institutions: The CSTO and SCO”, World Politics Review, (June 29, 2010), Available at https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/5916/eurasian-security-institutions-the-csto-and-sco . 25. Akbarsho Iskandarov, “Security and Integration in Central Asia: The CSTO and SCO, Central Asia and the Caucasus”, Vol.14, Issue. 2, (2013), 24. 26. Anatoliy A. Rozanov, “The Issue of Security in the SCO”, in Anatoliy A. Rozanov ed., The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Central Asia’s Security Challenges, (Geneva: Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, 2013), 39. 27. “SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group held its Third Meeting with SCO Participation in Вishkek” Official website of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, (April 19, 2019), Available at http://eng.sectsco.org/news/20190419/533099.html 28. “Interview: CSTO head eyes closer partnership with SCO”, (June 8, 2018), XINHUA NET, http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-06/08/c_137239917.htm 29. Marcel de Haas, “Partners and competitors” NATO and the (Far) East”, (April 2013), 9. Available at https://www.clingendael.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/Partners%20and%20Competitors%20%20NATO%20and%20the%20(Far)%20East.pdf 30. "Afghan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan form QCCM to counter-terrorism". Pakistan Today, August 3, 2016, Available at https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2016/08/03/afghan-china-pakistan-tajikistan-form-qccm-to-counter-terrorism/ 31. Vlagyiszlav Makszimov, "Central Asia Leaders Meet Again in a Sign of Increased Regional Cooperation", Euractiv, (December 3, 2019), Available at https://www.euractiv.com/section/central-asia/news/central-asia-leaders-meet-again-in-sign-of-increased-regional-cooperation/ 32. The information available on Official website Collective Security Treaty Organization, https://en.odkb-csto.org/international_org/sco/ 33. Richard Lotspeich, “Economic Integration of China and Russia in the Post-Soviet Era” in James Bellacqua ed., The Future of China-Russia Relations, (Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, 2010), 122. 34. Hu Bin1, “Oil and Gas Cooperation Between China and Central Asia in an Environment of Political and Resource Competition”, (2014), 599. Available at https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs12182-014-0377-7.pdf 35. Paul Stronski and Nicole Ng, “Cooperation and Competition Russia and China in Central Asia, the Russian Far East, and the Arctic”, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington DC. (2018), 02. REF;4. 36. Marcel de Haas, “Partners and competitors” REF: 29. 37. Arkady Dubnov, “Reflecting on a Quarter Century of Russia’s Relations With Central Asia”, REF 1 & REF 8. 38. Charles E. Ziegler, “Russia and China in Central Asia” in James Bellacqua ed, The Future of China-Russia Relations, (Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, 2010), 236 39. Lu Peng and Wu Shike, "China and Tajikistan kick off joint counter-terrorism exercise", China Military, (August 12, 2019), Available at http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/view/2019-08/12/content_9587478.htm 40. Fabio Indeo, Russia-China military cooperation in Central Asia: A Temporary Convergence of Strategic Interests”, REF 17 & 22.