SCO as an International Regional Organization: Development Stages

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization development as an international regional structure. The author describes several stages of the SCO formation as a full member of the international society. During the preliminary stage (1996–2001) a number of international agreements was signed, these agreements set the principals and the basis for cooperation between future SCO member states. Gradually the range of questions for discussion was extended from mutual trust issues in the border region up to the issues of multilateral cooperation in the spheres of politics, security, economy and culture. The initial stage of SCO development (2001–2004) is characterized by the launch of new interaction formats, which include the regular meetings of Prime-Ministers, Head of MOFA, Defense Ministers, Ministers of Finance, Health and Education, Heads of Emergency and Law Enforcement Departments. The establishment of SCO Secretariat in 2004 has symbolized the end of initial period of SCO formation and the beginning of the new development phase – qualified international recognition (2004–2009). The structure of the SCO shows the example of the classical international organization, which consists of four Councils – the Heads of State Council, the SCO Heads of Government Council, the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Council of National Coordinators of SCO Member States. The Organization has two permanent bodies – the SCO Secretariat and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, and the permanent representatives of the each member-state. Based on the experience of international organizations, SCO initiated the cooperation mechanism with other international organizations, obtained the status of Observer in UN General Assembly and developed its own regulations to which define the rules and conditions for cooperation with another states and international organizations. The characteristic feature of the next development stage – the stage of growth and extension of the organization (2009–present time) – is the considerable growth of the international authority and expansion of SCO at the expense of the new member-states, observers and partners on dialogue. During the years of its development the SCO has evolved from informal club of “Shanghai five” leaders into the competent regional organization with its own institutional structure, whose activity and principals of cooperation are fully corresponded to the UN Charter.