BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

EXPANSION OF SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION: IRAN’SHORIZONS AND PERSPECTIVES

Author: Mahfuz Kabir

DOI Link: DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2006v27n3a3

ABSTRACT

The paper analyses the opportunities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) with focus on Iran’s horizons in garnering benefits from the organization to respond to changing regional and international posture. It explores the possibilities of Iran’s membership in the SCO and its geo-strategic ramification for the region. The paper finds that althoughthe organization is working to strengthen diverse areas of cooperation among its member states, the main thrust of cooperation has been on security and countering cross-border terrorism and extremism. There has been an impression that due to the country’sone of the biggest oil reserve which is very lucrative for the member countries of the Organization and for its geo-strategic positioning, the SCO is going to be expanded by including Iran as its full member. Iran’s comfortability with Russia may prove sufficient reason for China to lure Iran towards the SCO in order to balance Iran’s regional inclines. The paper suggests that among others, cooperation in water and energy resources strongly needs relocation of investment and enhancement of technological and scientific measures in the SCO. New investment in Iran’s oil and gas fields as well as trade agreements would enhance economic and energy security of the SCO members, particularly China. In addition, as a result of such expansion of the Organization, military and security set up is likely to be enhanced due to formal security ties among the members, in particular Russia and China. Finally, a regional structure that combines Central Asia and the Caucasus under the aegis of SCO, is expected to be a balancing factor in Central and South Asia and to an extent in the Middle East.