Xu Xiaotian: Internal cooperation most important

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has been rather conservative in expanding its area of influence. By not admitting even a single new member in its 10-year history it has, to some extent, caused misunderstanding among some countries.

The SCO has focused efforts on improving coordination and cooperation among member states, and that is exactly what it should continue doing in the short term. It should improve the existing mechanisms to enhance mutual trust among its decade-old members.

The six-member SCO can accept new members under the new situation, though, for several countries in the region are eager to improve their economy and security by cooperating with it. But the expansion should not be very fast. Accepting too many new members in a short time could create unforeseen problems, and even ruin the existing cooperation mechanism in the long run.

That's why the SCO should increase its influence by strengthening internal cooperation rather than rapid expansion. It has to focus on beefing up the existing mechanism and using it in innovative ways. The SCO member states have to enhance mutual trust to better resolve their common security issues, keep Central Asia as their core area of interest and concentrate on combating terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as drug trafficking.

Maintaining its current membership status, the SCO could hold a forum on Eurasian economic cooperation and development with observer states, dialogue partners and other countries. The topics could range from regional cooperation to energy transfer and infrastructure construction. That would give non-member states the flexibility to join only some of the programs instead of becoming full-fledged members. For example, Turkmenistan, a guest attendant, could stay out of the SCO but join its gas cooperation program.

The organization can be expanded in the long run, but only gradually. Given the situation in Afghanistan, security in the region will face greater challenges from terrorism and separatism, and the existing gaps among different countries could be widened.

Under such conditions, the SCO has to strike at the root of the problem by helping Afghanistan in its reconstruction efforts. Only economic development can end terrorism in that country - though it can also stimulate cooperation and healthy competition among the big powers in the region.

From the United States, the European Union and Russia to China and India, none of the powers are likely to forfeit their interests in the region. But none of them can play the dominant role, either. The SCO can offer all of them a platform for dialogue, which could be the gateway to competition and cooperation both. In fact, the region is in dire need of a mechanism that will prompt big powers to express their interests and prevent misunderstanding, and the SCO should take up the responsibility to build one.

Of course, SCO cooperation and expansion will not be without problems. The history of international organizations shows that more members often mean less common understanding. Therefore, the SCO should be aware of the possible decline in its efficiency level if more countries become its members. This could also distract the organization from the key issues in Central Asia.

Besides, the SCO mechanisms need to undergo reform to adapt to changing situations. The SCO is a regional organization with real cooperation in many areas. It is not a forum for only economic and security issues. Hence, it needs a whole set of mechanisms to ensure the smooth progress of all its programs. The organization also has to respect the multi-civilizational and multicultural character of the region, which is home to more than 300 ethnic groups and several sects of the world's three leading religions.

The past decade has seen the SCO transform from a talk-club into a formidable political force in Eurasia, while the Western world has realized its potential and power. The development of both internal and external cooperation helped it to acquire such importance. The next five to 10 years will thus be crucial for the SCO. But all the same, its member states are expected to make greater contributions to regional peace and stability through constant growth.

The author is a research scholar in Central Asia studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.