CHINA TERMS SCO SUMMIT "GREAT SUCCESS"

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 005496 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/20/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER MARR CH RS ZK IR SUBJECT: CHINA TERMS SCO SUMMIT "GREAT SUCCESS" REF: A. BISHKEK 1048 ¶B. BEIJING 5186 ¶C. BEIJING 5068 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Dan Piccuta for reasons 1.4 (b/ d) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) MFA Department of West Asian and North African Affairs Director General Song Aiguo told the DCM on August 18 that the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek laid the basis for future expansion. The SCO members (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) agreed to cooperate across a broad range of issues, including counter-terrorism, narcotics trafficking and information security. The SCO members also agreed the region should rely on its own efforts, existing regional organizations and the UN to resolve regional issues, but at the same time should increase cooperation with non-member countries and other international organizations. Song said that China had not raised the U.S. airbase in Kyrgyzstan (Manas) at the summit or in bilateral meetings. Song said joint military exercises among SCO members usefully strengthened cooperation on counter-terrorism and transnational crime. End Summary. Special Briefing -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On August 17, almost immediately upon his return from accompanying President Hu Jintao to Central Asia, DG Song invited DCM to a rare Saturday (August 18) briefing. A large part of the briefing covered President Hu's bilateral meeting with Iranian President Ahmadinejad (reported septel). Song said that China was anxious to be very transparent with the United States about the SCO and noted that the MFA previewed the SCO summit in a June briefing. SCO Summit: Regional Cooperation ... -------------- ¶3. (C) Song said the SCO summit was a great success that advanced mutual understanding and cooperation in the areas of counter-terrorism, information security, counter-narcotics, combating transnational crime, joint economic development, people-to-people contacts, cultural affairs, public health, sports and youth exchange. The SCO members agreed to expand SCO observerships, laid the legal basis for future new members (no country specifically named) and agreed to expand SCO contacts and cooperation with other countries and organizations. SCO members approved a long-term treaty of "good neighborly friendship and cooperation" and the Bishkek Declaration, which included concrete initiatives on the above topics. ... and Regional Self-Reliance -------------- ¶4. (C) Song said the summit meeting and bilaterals promoted political understanding and cooperation. SCO leaders declared support for Afghanistan's reconstruction and announced the formation of an "anti-drug zone" around Afghanistan to counter narcotics trafficking. SCO leaders also declared mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. They declared that regional problems should be solved by the regions' countries themselves, existing regional organizations and the UN. Military Exercises Enhance Counter-Terrorism Goals -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) Song said the "counter-terrorist military exercise" after the summit promoted counter-terrorism goals in the interest of all nations. Song described the exercise as a simulation of the seizure of a village by terrorists and the subsequent military response. Over six thousand troops will participate over ten days. The SCO, Song said, has stressed transparency, and over 40 military attaches were invited to observe. The exercises are just one facet of growing and BEIJING 00005496 002 OF 002 useful military cooperation within the SCO, which also conducts joint military training and has agreed to cooperate on the investigation of specific incidents. U.S. Kyrgyzstan Base Not on Agenda -------------- ¶6. (C) Song noted that the U.S. airbase at Manas in Kyrgyzstan was not discussed at the SCO summit or in any of China's bilateral meetings. He said China's themes at all the meetings in Bishkek were "open and transparent." He said that China's decision not to raise the airbases was in response to concerns expressed by the United States in consultations ahead of the SCO summit. Piccuta