SCO uneasy with Georgia

IPS reports that the SCO has failed to fall in line with Russia over the actions in Georgia. No surprise, but noteworthy all the same from the standpoint of “not everything says goes”.

Faced with the first serious military conflict since its establishment in 2001, the SCO has failed to take a clear-cut stance, hiding its ambiguity behind statements of concern over the tensions in the region and praise for Russia’s role.

Led by China, the group’s other four members — the Central Asian ex-Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — refrained from condemning Georgia for igniting the conflict. They stopped short of endorsing the birth of the two independent republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, now formally recognised by Moscow.

The reasons? China doesn’t like seperatism of any shade, while the other four don’t like the idea that Russian tanks can roll in and change anything they please.

Tajikistan: “We import everything from China”

An interesting AFP piece filed as Hu Jintao visited Tajikistan. Link:

Road building in Tajikistan “is part of China’s plan to open up markets in Central Asia and get access to hydrocarbons. That’s China’s main interest,” said Saimuddin Dustov, an independent Tajik political analyst.

“China has major influence over the politics and economics of these countries but it doesn’t advertise it, unlike the others. It’s a quiet policy of working against US and Russian interests,” Dustov said.

It looks into China’s creeping power in the country, with an economic official admitting that “we import everything from China”. Trade turnover is up 160% year-on-year – although still at a very modest volume.

It’s a nice little insight into the game of interests being played out in Central Asia – worth a read.

Getting started

Like all new blogs, this one is going to take a little while to hit its stride. But to get things going, here’s a quick look at the state of things on September 2, 2008.

Politics
The last meeting between Hu Jintao and Dmitry Medvedev took place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on August 27 on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. All nice tea and biscuits stuff – Olympic camaraderie, sound momentum of development of bilateral ties, dialogue and cooperation on the Georgia issue.

Economics
Vladimir Putin was in Vladivostok to kick the city into gear for hosting the 2012 APEC summit, and he used the trip to hint at major investment in Asia ahead. According to the Moscow Times:

“We are ready, and will offer our foreign colleagues a positive agenda dedicated to developing an economic partnership,” Putin said in comments published on the Cabinet’s web site. Russia wants to use the event as a springboard for its business ties in the rapidly developing region, he said.

Elsewhere, there’s been a flurry of deals in Central Asia with Hu and Medvedev both in the area. For example in Tajikistan: China kept it vague on August 28 about “optimising economic ties and “expanding” cooperation in transportation, telecommunications, mineral exploration and processing, as well as agriculture and infrastructure” while Russia counteracted with some Gazprom-led energy investment on September 1.

More, soon.

Coming soon

This is a blog about China and Russia. Check back soon for news and insight.