An interview with Viktor Nadein-Rayevsky, Institute of World Economy & International Relations, Moscow
Thu Jun 7, 2012 4:6PM GMT
That is important that there have been several military exercises that give opportunity for joint operations here in Central Asia. Of course, this organization is the only real mechanism that can help stop terrorist activities here. It is a problem of course and this problem is on the way of solution.”
Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has lashed out at NATO‘s eastward expansion, saying it’s aimed at stopping the growth of the member states of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Ahmadinejad said NATO members are trying to resurrect what he called past colonialist relations, adding “the colonialists are equally opposed to the development of China, Russia, India and Iran as well as other members of the SCO.”
He further called for a new world order, saying the current one has failed because of its “inhumane and unfair nature.”
The SCO is an intergovernmental organization that was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Iran, India, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Pakistan are observer members of the organization.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Viktor Nadein-Rayevsky from Moscow’s Institute of World Economy & International Relations to further discuss the issue. The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV:Nadein-Rayevsky, tell us what you think about the declaration especially the fact that it seems very firm regarding the expansion of the Western countries, in particular the United States, as they have said with the concentration in the Asia-Pacific.
Nadein-Rayevsky:In fact, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the last years has become a rather prominent and important partner of many international organizations in the world.
First of all, that was very important that it begins the cooperation from real problems; problems that are dangerous for all the countries of the region. First of all, there is the problem of terrorism and, of course, the problems of separatism and drug trafficking which are very dangerous things the countries of the region have to deal with.
That is important that there have been several military exercises that give opportunity for joint operations here in Central Asia. Of course, this organization is the only real mechanism that can help stop terrorist activities here. It is a problem of course and this problem is on the way of solution.
If you look at the situation in the Middle East, for example, you can see that the new political developments are dangerous for the Central Asian states.
Iran, of course, partly is interested in this cooperation and as I know the Iranian side has many times expressed willingness and readiness to cooperate with the Shanghai organization.
That is really important that the next step, a very important step in the cooperation that its aim was economic cooperation before predominantly political issues were on the agenda of the organization. But now step by step all the countries move towards economic cooperation.
Of course, first of all, the most prominent dimensions of this cooperation are modern models of economy, modern industries and modern scientific knowledge that is very important. Besides, there is important banking cooperation among the countries that are really involved in the organization.
This time, very important decisions have been taken. For example, huge investments will be made into economic cooperation. China, for example, has agreed and decided to give 10 billion dollars for the future cooperation, for development of future energy and other projects. It is a large sum of money just to look at the smaller countries, partners that took part in the work of the organization. [In this way] the cooperation [will] become more suitable and more serious.
In the West, first, at the beginning of this 10-year organization, there were some countries trying not to pay any attention to it, especially the United States. Now they have to see that this organization is becoming, step by step, a real force in the region.
What’s more important is that all the members of the organization have equal rights, equal voices, and all the decisions of this organization are undertaken only when all of the members of the organization agree to follow any program that it’s undertaking.
GMA/SS
Read more:http://presstv.com/detail/2012/06/07/245058/sco-can-prevent-terrorism-in-asia/
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