Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BEIJING1143
2008-03-26 11:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:
SCO: MFA COY, SECRETARIAT POSITIVE ON IRAN'S BID
how-toVZCZCXRO6794 OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC DE RUEHBJ #1143/01 0861109 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 261109Z MAR 08 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6070 INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 0725 RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA PRIORITY 0058 RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 1329 RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 6668 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0384 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 8971 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 4518 RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT PRIORITY 1153
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001143
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2028
TAGS: PREL PTER ETRD ENRG MARR ZK XD CH RS IR
SUBJECT: SCO: MFA COY, SECRETARIAT POSITIVE ON IRAN'S BID
FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP
BEIJING 00001143 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Deputy Political Section Chief Ben Moeling.
Reasons 1.4 (B/D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001143
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2028
TAGS: PREL PTER ETRD ENRG MARR ZK XD CH RS IR
SUBJECT: SCO: MFA COY, SECRETARIAT POSITIVE ON IRAN'S BID
FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP
BEIJING 00001143 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Deputy Political Section Chief Ben Moeling.
Reasons 1.4 (B/D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: A contact at the Chinese Foreign Ministry
declined to comment on whether China would support Iran's bid
to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),but said
there are "ample reasons" for Iran's admission to the
organization, including the potential for energy cooperation
and improved trade. A contact at the SCO Secretariat was
positive about Iran's application to join the group as a full
member. Member country capitals are considering the bid, and
a decision is expected at the Dushanbe Summit, which may take
place in late August. Membership must be approved by all
member countries, giving all members a veto on the bid. END
SUMMARY.
Secretariat: Decision Expected at August Summit
SIPDIS
-------------- --
2. (C) Asked about press reports that Iran has submitted a
formal application for full membership to the SCO, Umad
Azizov, an Uzbek diplomat and Senior Expert at the SCO
Secretariat, confirmed to PolOff March 26 that Iran has made
SIPDIS
an application. Iran, currently an observer in the SCO,
submitted the application to Tajikistan as the current SCO
chair, and officials in Tajikistan forwarded the application
to member countries for consideration. He reported that a
SCO Summit will be held in Dushanbe around the end of August,
despite possible complications due to the timing in relation
to the Beijing Olympics, and the heads of state would most
likely announce a decision at that meeting. (Note: Azizov's
strong expectation that the group will quickly move to
announce a decision on Iran at this year's summit contrasts
with Pakistan's stalled bid for membership. End note.)
Foreign ministers would probably meet to consult on the issue
2-3 weeks before the summit to provide recommendations to
their leaders. Azizov said that the application must have
the support of all member states, giving every existing
member a veto. He stressed that in order to become a member,
Iran must sign onto all agreements concluded in the framework
of the SCO.
3. (C) Azizov said he is personally quite positive about
Iran's bid. He stressed there are many advantages for the
SCO in accepting Iran as a member, especially given its
natural resources and links to the broader Middle East. He
added, however, that the Secretariat does not have a role in
the decision-making process, and that the heads of state of
the member countries will adjudicate the application. The
SCO Secretariat does not convene a Working Group to deal with
membership determinations, and makes no recommendation.
MFA: Iran Actively Lobbying
--------------
4. (C) MFA Deputy Director for SCO Affairs Wang Wenli told
PolOff March 26 that Iran has expressed interest in joining
the SCO as a full member since at least 2006. She confirmed
that a decision announcement is likely at the Dushanbe
conference later this year, but could not confirm the August
timeframe for the Summit that Azizov outlined. She said that
in the last year Iran has actively lobbied member countries
to support its bid, and has sought to participate proactively
in its role as an observer country in SCO activities,
particularly those related to energy cooperation. She
confirmed that all existing member countries must support
Iran's application for it to be approved.
MFA: "Ample Reasons" to Include Iran
--------------
5. (C) She acknowledged that Iran is on the geographic
margins of the current SCO membership, but stressed there are
"ample reasons" for Iran's admission to the organization.
She cited energy cooperation and trade potential as examples,
as well as possible counter-terrorism cooperation and Iran's
important influence in the Central Asian region. She
declined to comment on whether China would support Iran's
BEIJING 00001143 002 OF 002
bid, and stressed that the outcome would be not reached based
on the decision of any one country, including China.
PICCUTA
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2028
TAGS: PREL PTER ETRD ENRG MARR ZK XD CH RS IR
SUBJECT: SCO: MFA COY, SECRETARIAT POSITIVE ON IRAN'S BID
FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP
BEIJING 00001143 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Deputy Political Section Chief Ben Moeling.
Reasons 1.4 (B/D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: A contact at the Chinese Foreign Ministry
declined to comment on whether China would support Iran's bid
to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),but said
there are "ample reasons" for Iran's admission to the
organization, including the potential for energy cooperation
and improved trade. A contact at the SCO Secretariat was
positive about Iran's application to join the group as a full
member. Member country capitals are considering the bid, and
a decision is expected at the Dushanbe Summit, which may take
place in late August. Membership must be approved by all
member countries, giving all members a veto on the bid. END
SUMMARY.
Secretariat: Decision Expected at August Summit
SIPDIS
-------------- --
2. (C) Asked about press reports that Iran has submitted a
formal application for full membership to the SCO, Umad
Azizov, an Uzbek diplomat and Senior Expert at the SCO
Secretariat, confirmed to PolOff March 26 that Iran has made
SIPDIS
an application. Iran, currently an observer in the SCO,
submitted the application to Tajikistan as the current SCO
chair, and officials in Tajikistan forwarded the application
to member countries for consideration. He reported that a
SCO Summit will be held in Dushanbe around the end of August,
despite possible complications due to the timing in relation
to the Beijing Olympics, and the heads of state would most
likely announce a decision at that meeting. (Note: Azizov's
strong expectation that the group will quickly move to
announce a decision on Iran at this year's summit contrasts
with Pakistan's stalled bid for membership. End note.)
Foreign ministers would probably meet to consult on the issue
2-3 weeks before the summit to provide recommendations to
their leaders. Azizov said that the application must have
the support of all member states, giving every existing
member a veto. He stressed that in order to become a member,
Iran must sign onto all agreements concluded in the framework
of the SCO.
3. (C) Azizov said he is personally quite positive about
Iran's bid. He stressed there are many advantages for the
SCO in accepting Iran as a member, especially given its
natural resources and links to the broader Middle East. He
added, however, that the Secretariat does not have a role in
the decision-making process, and that the heads of state of
the member countries will adjudicate the application. The
SCO Secretariat does not convene a Working Group to deal with
membership determinations, and makes no recommendation.
MFA: Iran Actively Lobbying
--------------
4. (C) MFA Deputy Director for SCO Affairs Wang Wenli told
PolOff March 26 that Iran has expressed interest in joining
the SCO as a full member since at least 2006. She confirmed
that a decision announcement is likely at the Dushanbe
conference later this year, but could not confirm the August
timeframe for the Summit that Azizov outlined. She said that
in the last year Iran has actively lobbied member countries
to support its bid, and has sought to participate proactively
in its role as an observer country in SCO activities,
particularly those related to energy cooperation. She
confirmed that all existing member countries must support
Iran's application for it to be approved.
MFA: "Ample Reasons" to Include Iran
--------------
5. (C) She acknowledged that Iran is on the geographic
margins of the current SCO membership, but stressed there are
"ample reasons" for Iran's admission to the organization.
She cited energy cooperation and trade potential as examples,
as well as possible counter-terrorism cooperation and Iran's
important influence in the Central Asian region. She
declined to comment on whether China would support Iran's
BEIJING 00001143 002 OF 002
bid, and stressed that the outcome would be not reached based
on the decision of any one country, including China.
PICCUTA