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Abstract
This paper argues that there is an emerging trans-regional security complex reaching from Russia through Central Asia to China. Shared security norms have resulted in statist multilateralism, that is, state-directed cooperation on shared interests while closely guarding distinct identities and specific political features. The paper outlines member states' key political values and shows how they ‘framed’ shared understandings about security. It then explains how security norms inform the institutional designs of the two main multilateral security organisations thereby directing the nature of cooperation, testing the argument in two key conflicts: in Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.
Notes
1 Since the submission of this paper, there is now a Customs Union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, and Putin continues to push for a Eurasian Union.
2 This paper understands security governance as an explanation of state interaction. For an overview of different understandings of ‘security governance’ see Sperling (Citation2010).
3 This definition is adapted from Webber's definition of ‘international security governance’ (Citation2002, pp. 33–44).
4The Russian National Security Strategy through 2020 (2009), approved by the Russian Federation Presidential Edict No. 537, 12 May 2009, as published in Krasnaya Zvezda weekly edition, 13 May 2009.
5 ‘China's Position Paper on the New Security Concept’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, 31 July 2002, available at: http://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zzjg/gjs/gjzzyhy/2612/2614/t15319.htm, accessed 1 February 2012.
6 For example the Eurasian Media Forum, Eurasian Association of Universities and Eurasian Academy of Television and Radio.
7 Article 13, Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, 2002, available at: http://untreaty.un.org/unts/144078_158780/5/9/13289.pdf, accessed 4 March 2011.
8 ‘SCO Tashkent Summit Concludes’, China Daily, 11 June 2010, available at: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010sco/2010-06/11/content_9968146.htm, accessed 2 February 2011.
9 Article 19, CSTO Charter, May 1992, available at: http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/Varios/2002_Carta_de_la_OTSC.pdf, accessed 1 February 2012.
10 ‘Iran Invited to Join Central Security Treaty Organization’, Interfax, 14 May 2007, available at: http://www.globalresearch.ca/iran-invited-to-join-central-security-treaty-organization/5696, accessed 30 October 2013.
11Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 15 June 2001, available at: http://www.ecrats.com/en/normative_documents/2006, accessed 4 March 2011.
12 Articles 1 & 2, Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 15 June 2001, available at: http://www.ecrats.com/en/normative_documents/2006, accessed 4 March 2011.
13 Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 2002, available at: http://www.sectsco.org/EN/show.asp?id = 69, accessed 13 November 2010.
14 CSTO Charter, May 1992, available at: http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/Varios/2002_Carta_de_la_OTSC.pdf, accessed 1 February 2012.
15 Article 4, CSTO Charter, May 1992, available at: http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/Varios/2002_Carta_de_la_OTSC.pdf, accessed 1 February 2012.
16 Article 5, CSTO Charter, May 1992, available at: http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/Varios/2002_Carta_de_la_OTSC.pdf, accessed 1 February 2012.
17 Article 12, CSTO Charter, May 1992, available at: http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/Varios/2002_Carta_de_la_OTSC.pdf, accessed 1 February 2012.
18 Article 16, Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 2002, available at: http://www.sectsco.org/EN/show.asp?id = 69, accessed 13 November 2010.
19 Article 16, Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 2002, available at: http://www.sectsco.org/EN/show.asp?id = 69, accessed 13 November 2010.
20 Article 17, Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 2002, available at: http://www.sectsco.org/EN/show.asp?id = 69, accessed 13 November 2010.
21 CSTO Charter, May 1992, available at: http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/Varios/2002_Carta_de_la_OTSC.pdf, accessed 1 February 2012; Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 2002, available at: http://www.sectsco.org/EN/show.asp?id = 69, accessed 13 November 2010.
22 Tajikistan has extended the lease of the base for 49 years (beginning in 2012).
23 Interview with Security Council Official, Moscow, 6 June 2011.
24 Article 1, Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 2002, available at: http://www.sectsco.org/EN/show.asp?id = 69, accessed 13 November 2010.
25 Articles 3 and 8, CSTO Charter, May 1992, available at: http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/Varios/2002_Carta_de_la_OTSC.pdf, accessed 1 February 2012.
26 Article 1, Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 2002, available at: http://www.sectsco.org/EN/show.asp?id = 69, accessed 13 November 2010.
27 SCO Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, 16 August 2007, available at: http://www.sectsco.org/EN/show.asp?id = 71, accessed 1 February 2012.
28 ‘China to Expand Central Asian Presence with US$10billion in Loans’, The Malaysian Insider, 5 December 2012, available at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/china-to-expand-central-asian-presence-with-us10bin-loans/, accessed 30 October 2013.
29 Interview with former FSB official, China expert, Moscow, 3 June 2011.
30 ‘CIS Nations to Jointly Fight Against Extremism in the Web’, The Voice of Russia, 21 December 2010, available at: http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/12/21/37409484.html, accessed 8 January 2011.
31 ‘CSTO Rapid Deployment Force Begins Drills in Tajikistan’, available at: http://en.trend.az/regions/casia/tajikistan/1933430.html, accessed 1 February 2012.
32The Russian National Security Strategy through 2020, approved by the Russian Federation Presidential Edict No.537, 12 May 2009, available at: http://www.scrf.gov.ru/documents/99.html, accessed 21 October 2013.
33 ‘Cooperation between UN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization Dynamically Expanding, in Shared Quest for Peace, Prosperity, says Secretary-General, in Message’, UN Document SG/SM/12953, 11 June 2010, available at: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/sgsm12953.doc.htm, accessed 30 October 2013.
34 CSTO Charter, May 1992, available at: http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/Varios/2002_Carta_de_la_OTSC.pdf, accessed 1 February 2012.
35 ‘Medvedev Says No Multi-National Force for Turbulent Kyrgyzstan’, Ria Novosti, 11 June 2010, available at: http://en.rian.ru/news/20100611/159390386.html, accessed 5 December 2010.
36 ‘Medvedev Says No Multi-National Force for Turbulent Kyrgyzstan’, Ria Novosti, 11 June 2010, available at: http://en.rian.ru/news/20100611/159390386.html, accessed 5 December 2010.
37 The differences include the fact that South Ossetia is a separatist region within Georgia, with close ties to Russia. For an analysis of the roots of Russian involvement see Jackson (Citation2003).
38 ‘Russia Works to Enhance CSTO's International Role’, RT, 9 December 2010, available at: http://rt.com/politics/russia-csto-ministers-meeting/, accessed 11 October 2013.
39 Of course, Uzbekistan's renewed support of the CSTO was not simply in reaction to Kyrgyz events but was once again evidence of its constant manoeuvring between Russia and the US.
40 ‘Speech by President Islam Karimov at the CSTO Summit Meeting’, 13 December 2010, available at: http://www.press-service.uz/en/news/show/vistupleniya/vyistuplenie_prezidenta_respubliki_uz_10/, accessed 9 January 2011.
41Law on the Ratification of the Agreement on CSTO's Collective Rapid Reaction Force, 27 December 2010, The Official President of Russia website, available at: http://eng.kremlin.ru/acts/1541, accessed 8 January 2011.
42 Interview with Security Council Official, Moscow, 6 June 2011.
43 ‘CSTO Eyes Peacekeeping Operations in Afghanistan after 2014’, Voice of Russia, 9 October 2012, available at: http://voiceofrussia.com/2012_10_09/CSTO-eyes-peacekeeping-operations-in-Afghanistan-after-2014/, accessed 2 February 2012. Since this article was submitted, Uzbekistan withdrew from the CSTO on 28 June 2012 (over the plans to deploy the rapid reaction force and fear that such a force would fuel regional tensions). With Uzbekistan's withdrawal, military imbalances among the members (as well as developments on the ground) make a significant future role for the CSTO in Afghanistan less likely.
44 ‘SCO Mulls Over Unified List of Terrorist Groups’, Russia Today, 22 February 2011, available at: http://rt.com/politics/shanghai-cooperation-terrorism-groups/, accessed 4 March 2011.
45 ‘Russia and NATO to Join Forces for “Active Endeavour”’, Pravda, 11 January 2011, available at: http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/11-01-2011/116477-russia_nato-0/, accessed 5 February 2011.
This article was written in February 2012.