Shanghai defence bloc won't accept Iran as member

[xinhui]

Shanghai defence bloc won't accept Iran as member - report

Shanghai defence bloc won't accept Iran as member - report | World | Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A security bloc grouping Russia, China and Central Asia will not accept Iran as a member while there are U.N. sanctions against it, a Russian diplomatic source said on Saturday.

Iran applied in 2008 to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a security and defence bloc led by Beijing and Moscow and seen as a counterweight to NATO.

The SCO has not officially given a verdict on the Iranian application but Russia's ITAR-TASS news agency quoted the source, speaking during a meeting of SCO foreign ministers in Uzbekistan, as saying that sanctions were an obstacle.

"A country which wants to become a member of the SCO cannot be subject to U.N. Security Council sanctions," the Russian source said.

No SCO candidate member apart from Iran has U.N. sanctions applied against it.

The SCO secretary-general, Muratbek Imanaliyev, had said in February that the bloc was assessing Iran and Pakistan's applications for membership but did not express a view.

At present the SCO membership comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The bloc's activities have focused on military cooperation, intelligence-sharing and the fight against terrorism and drugs.

Iran, Pakistan, Mongolia and India are observers, while Belarus and Sri Lanka have the lesser status of dialogue partners.

The organisation has no formal process for admitting new members and ITAR-TASS reported that the SCO foreign ministers had agreed rules on this to present for approval to the next SCO heads of government summit on June 10-11.

Moscow and Beijing have so far been reluctant to admit Tehran because of Western concerns about the country's nuclear programme, analysts say. Moscow would like to see its close military and strategic ally India become a full member of the SCO but New Delhi has shown little interest so far.

(Reporting by Dmitry Sergeyev, Writing by Michael Stott; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

[Dreadnought]

Good for them, considering Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. Another blocked escape for Iran. Im impressed with Russia and China after this news. It shows the support their position and the UNSC as members of the five plus one. Excellent news.

[chakos]

Nothing of the sort Dread, the Russians and Chinese just don't want a loose cannon amongst their ranks. They care very little about the UNSC nor any other organisation short of whatever benefit they can obtain from them.

Good that they did what they did but lets not get too carried away as to their reasons.

[xinhui]

both founding members realized that the SOC is not organized enough to go beyond their initial goal of being an econ and regional anti-terrorism framework. that by itself is not a bad thing

[Dreadnought]

Good that they did what they did but lets not get too carried away as to their reasons.

I agree Chakos, but also you cant underestimate their caution when it comes to Chechynia and their problems there. China dont have the same problems but yet still agreed. It is a change, wether they show their hands or not. They are concerned no doubt with the problem of extremeism and terror on their soil. A supplier of Iran or not, they dont like it. And being a politician, if you second guess and something happens its your "ass" in the end no doubt.

And thats not a political point money or favors can buy to honorable men.:));)

[xinhui]

it is final.

Countries under UN sanctions cannot join SCO - Medvedev

Countries under UN sanctions cannot join SCO - Medvedev | World | RIA Novosti


A country under UN Security Council sanctions cannot become a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday.

"Countries which have difficulties with their legal status cannot claim SCO membership," Medvedev told a news conference, referring to new membership criteria approved at a SCO summit in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent.

"A country under UN sanctions cannot claim membership of the organization," he added.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the summit that Iran, which is now under a fresh round of UN Security Council sanctions over its nuclear program, cannot join the SCO but can retain observer status.

"[The document] clearly states that one of the criteria [for joining] is that a country must not be under UN Security Council sanctions," Lavrov said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who spoke at the summit, reiterated that Tehran's nuclear program is of a peaceful civilian nature.

The SCO includes Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

On Wednesday, the UN Security Council approved a fourth round of economic sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear program.

The sanctions include tougher financial controls and an expanded arms embargo. They also impose an asset ban and a travel freeze on more than three dozen companies and individuals.

TASHKENT, June 11 (RIA Novosti)