China, Russia welcome Iran into the fold

Asia Times ^ | April 18, 2006

[nuconvert]

China, Russia welcome Iran into the fold

M K Bhadrakumar

April 18, 2006

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which maintained it had no plans for expansion, is now changing course. Mongolia, Iran, India and Pakistan, which previously had observer status, will become full members. SCO's decision to welcome Iran into its fold constitutes a political statement. Conceivably, SCO would now proceed to adopt a common position on the Iran nuclear issue at its summit meeting June 15.

Speaking in Beijing as recently as January 16, the organization's secretary general Zhang Deguang had been quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying: "Absorbing new member states needs a legal basis, yet the SCO has no rules concerning the issue. Therefore, there is no need for some Western countries to worry whether India, Iran or other countries would become new members."

The SCO, an Intergovernmental organization whose working languages are Chinese and Russian, was founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The SCO's change of heart appears set to involve the organization in Iran's nuclear battle and other ongoing regional issues with the United States.

Visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mohammadi told Itar-TASS in Moscow that the membership expansion "could make the world more fair". And he spoke of building an Iran-Russia "gas-and-oil arc" by coordinating their activities as energy producing countries. Mohammadi also touched on Iran's intention to raise the issue of his country's nuclear program and its expectations of securing SCO support.

The timing of the SCO decision appears to be significant. By the end of April the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to report to the United Nations Security Council in New York regarding Iran's compliance with the IAEA resolutions and the Security Council's presidential statement,

[ExtremeUnction]

The timing of the SCO decision appears to be significant. By the end of April the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to report to the United Nations Security Council in New York regarding Iran's compliance with the IAEA resolutions and the Security Council's presidential statement..

Attack. Now!

[eastforker]

No wonder Iran has been thumbing their nose at the US. Could it be that Russia and China is using Iran as a proxy?

[claudiustg]

Things are lining up nicely for Armageddon.

[stopem]

And with Hu visiting here from China. Hmmm

[nuconvert]

"The SCO is not a military bloc but is nonetheless a security organization committed to countering terrorism, religious extremism and separatism. SCO membership would debunk the US propaganda about Iran being part of an "axis of evil". "

[joesnuffy]

Good ole fashioned chi-com American welcom for the chi-com dignitary...

Looks like any ally of terror isn't really an enemy of ours really...but 'tough talk' always makes good political book

imo

[DoctorMichael]

Our friends, Pooty-poot, the former Communist-Party apparatchik, and the smiling Fascist Monkeys-in-suits.

[nuconvert]

pong

[Paul Ross]

Could it be that Russia and China is using Iran as a proxy?

Of course. Its an open secret. Only the White House and Foggy Bottom is still in denial. They definitely have the deer-in-the-headlights look when confronted with the bare-knuckle hostility of their "allies" or "trade partners." They honestly don't know what to do when the Flat-Earth world of the liberal screeds of Thomas Friedman or Thomas PM Barnett doesn't, in fact, behave at all the way either of them predicted:

Gee. History isn't over.
Gee. There are still evil people and many, many evil nations in the world.
Gee. Free trade doesn't make it all better.

In fact, trading high technology to the wrong, evil people, makes it worse...empowering their evil...and increasing our vulnerability and inflexibility...and internally-compromised and paralyzed politics.

CFIUS was and remains what Bill Xlinton made of it. A rubber stamp to sell out American security.

There isn't enough rope to swing by the neck all the accomplices to the ongoing treasonous betrayal of America. We already sold it all to China.

[Paul Ross]

Yup.

All your nuclear secrets are us.

[jpsb]

Keep shopping at Wal-mart folks.

[jpsb]

Bump, the sell out of the usa to the chicoms continues, with GOP cheering all the way to the grave yard.

[Centurion2000]

Bump .... Jeff, your books are looking more and more likely each day. How does it feel to be a modern Nostradamus?

[PeteePie]

Things are lining up nicely for Armageddon.


...so true!!

[DoughtyOne]

Dead on target for all the good it will do us...

[Realism]

Things are lining up nicely for Armageddon.

Naw... This alliance is mostly made up for economic and political cooperation. Neither of which could be self sustained without the U.S. and Europe. Any conflict would have to be quick, decisive, with little destruction and then back to business as usual, which we all know won't happen. Otherwise these countries would simply collapse into 3rd world economies or worse as we over time would destroy most of the infrastructure which was given to them by western corporations.

[Valin]

SCO membership would debunk the US propaganda about Iran being part of an "axis of evil". "

That's nice. Hope they packed a lunch, they're gonna need it.

[Kuehn12]

Sorry to disagree, but war with Iran will be another proxy war and a another victory for America. None of the SCO nations will come to defend Iran. Self-interest runs this world. China and Russia are only concern about bloodying are noses so bad that we send are boys home for good or at least for next decade or two. They want Iran to rack a huge American body count before they are defeat which I believe both nation know, even with them supplying weapons is inevitable as the sun rising. They want what most nations in the world want, America to stay the heck out of their business, America just another nation among a sea of nations.

I REPEAT FOR THOSE IN THE NOSE BLEED SEATS NO ONE WANT A DIRECT CONFRONTATION WITH RUSSIA OR CHINA, NOT THE CHINESE OR RUSSIANS AND CERTAINLY NOT THE US. THE REST OF THE WORLD ISN'T LIKE NATO. THEY INVOLVE THEMSELVES ONLY WHEN THEY ARE IN DANGER OR THEY CAN GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT. THEY WILL NEVER BUT THEMSELVES ON THE LINE WHEN THE COST OUT WEIGHS THE BENEFIT.

ANOTHER POINT, RUSSIA AND CHINA AREN'T CAPABLE OF HELPING IRAN AND EVEN A NOVICE LIKE ME KNOWS THE ASIAN REPUBLIC OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION ARE BARELY ABLE TO KEEP THE OWN PEOPLE IN LINE LET ALONE HELP SOMEONE AGAINST THE GREATEST MILITARY POWER THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN.

[SelectiveJNJ]

Has anyone read Jeff Head's Dragon's Fury Serious?
That book predicts all of this!
Jeff Head is a gosh darn Prophit!
www.jeffhead.com