Chapter Six
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In 2001, the SCO admitted Uzbekistan, and Jian Zemin said that the
Organization will contribute to the establishment of a fairer and more
reasonable international order; this means that the SCO seeks to counter-
balance the dominance of the USA in Central Asia, something that the
Heritage Foundation does not like.
Ariel Cohen made clear that China and Russia are positioning
themselves to define the rules under which powers such as the USA,
Turkey, the EU, and Iran will be allowed to participate in this strategic
region of Central Asia. Cohen urges that the American administration
acknowledge the devastating change to the geopolitical and geostrategic
context of the region, in which he testifies to the large cooperation and
plans between Central Asian States, China, and Russia.
In 2003 the Asian Alliance held its first military exercises together,
which clearly proved that Russia and China are natural partners. In 2005
Iran, Pakistan and India joined the SCO as observers. At this time, some
analysts in the USA, like Christopher Brown from the Hudson Institute,
declared that the SCO was, perhaps, the most dangerous organization ever
to confront America.
In 2005 Afghanistan was also granted membership as observer.
Russian geopolitics expert and vice-president of the Academy of
Geopolitical Problems, Leonid Ivashov, said that the United States could
not prevail against the Shanghai Pact, and NATO’s influence would not be
able to erase at all the presence of Russian military forces in Central Asia,