China willing to consider Turkish membership of security bloc

[Devil Soul]

China willing to consider Turkish membership of security bloc
November 22, 2016
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Reuters
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BEIJING - China said Monday it was willing to consider any application from Nato-member Turkey to join a Russian and Chinese-led security bloc, after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his country could join.

China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan formed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2001 to fight threats posed by radical Islam and drug trafficking from neighbouring Afghanistan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Turkey was already a "dialogue partner" of the regional bloc and had for a long time closely cooperated with it. China attached great importance to Turkey's wish to strengthen that cooperation, he told a news briefing.

"We are willing, together with other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and in accordance with the rules of its legal documents, to seriously study it on the basis of consensus consultation," Geng added, without elaborating. Erdogan was quoted on Sunday as saying that Turkey did not need to join the European Union "at all costs" and could instead become part of the SCO. Turkish government spokesman Numan Kurtulmus said Monday that closer ties with the SCO would not mean Turkey turning its back on other allies. "Turkey, with its history, culture, geopolitics and potential, is one of the few countries in the world that can cooperate with every corner of the world simultaneously," he told a news conference in the capital Ankara.

"A step taken (with the SCO) does not mean it will end Turkey's relations with another country."

Turkish membership of the bloc would nonetheless be likely to alarm Western allies and fellow Nato members.

Having long been critical of Turkey's record on democratic freedoms, European leaders have been alarmed by Erdogan's crackdown on opponents since a failed coup attempt in July, and Turkey's prospects of joining the EU look more remote than ever after 11 years of negotiations.

The EU is treading a fine line as it needs Turkey's help in curbing a huge flow of migrants, especially from Syria, while Ankara has grown increasingly exasperated by what it sees as Western condescension.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan speak Turkic languages, and Ankara signed up in 2013 as a "dialogue partner" saying it shared "the same destiny" as members of the bloc.

Mongolia, India, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan are observers, while Belarus, like Turkey, is a dialogue partner.

http://nation.com.pk/international/...-consider-turkish-membership-of-security-bloc

 

[Attila the Hun]

We need another fellow Turanian nation such as Japan in this SCO @TaiShang
The future is Asia.

 

[TaiShang]

"We are willing, together with other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and in accordance with the rules of its legal documents, to seriously study it on the basis of consensus consultation,"

That's the key point. SCO membership has never been based on cultural or ethnic affinity. It is a rules-based institution with a very serious and comprehensive constitution.

The SCO is not an alternative to the EU. It is an alternative to NATO.

If Turkey is eventually admitted, this means a comprehensive change in Turkey's foreign policy and it would also automatically mean a disengagement from the NATO.

To join the SCO, Turkey does not need to stop EU negotiations. I am sure EU diplomats are surprised that Turkish president thinks the SCO is a substitute for the EU.

The SCO has no common market. No border agreement. It is basically about anti-terrorism, anti-separatism, and anti-extremism.

We need another fellow Turanian nation such as Japan in this SCO @TaiShang
The future is Asia.

I am not sure about the realistic aspects of Turan ideology, probably rather weak, or weaker than Pan-Asianism, but Japan's inclusion would also mean their disengagement from the US security regime.

Quite radical.

Right now, what China attempts to do is to finalize the China-Japan-Korea FTA. Even this economic bloc has taken over a decade to build. I am not sure about your government, but, in our part of the world, which is quite different from yours, this kind of decisions are not easy to make. It is not like that one day our President wakes up and decides to change the direction of the country 180 degrees.

You should check our East Asian Confucius (to which Japan belongs, as well) experimentalism, cautiousness and instrumentalism.

For some reason, Middle Eastern leaderships are very quick tempered and easy to make big decisions with little elaboration.

 

[Attila the Hun]

That's the key point. SCO membership has never been based on cultural or ethnic affinity. It is a rules-based institution with a very serious and comprehensive constitution.

The SCO is not an alternative to the EU. It is an alternative to NATO.

If Turkey is eventually admitted, this means a comprehensive change in Turkey's foreign policy and it would also automatically mean a disengagement from the NATO.

To join the SCO, Turkey does not need to stop EU negotiations. I am sure EU diplomats are surprised that Turkish president thinks the SCO is a substitute for the EU.

The SCO has no common market. No border agreement. It is basically about anti-terrorism, anti-separatism, and anti-extremism.



I am not sure about the realistic aspects of Turan ideology, probably rather weak, or weaker than Pan-Asianism, but Japan's inclusion would also mean their disengagement from the US security regime.

Quite radical.

Right now, what China attempts to do is to finalize the China-Japan-Korea FTA. Even this economic bloc has taken over a decade to build. I am not sure about your government, but, in our part of the world, which is quite different from yours, this kind of decisions are not easy to make. It is not like that one day our President wakes up and decides to change the direction of the country 180 degrees.

You should check our East Asian Confucius (to which Japan belongs, as well) experimentalism, cautiousness and instrumentalism.

For some reason, Middle Eastern leaderships are very quick tempered and easy to make big decisions with little elaboration.

I really do need to check your East Asian Confucius experimentalism. I am very interested in the far eastern culture, history and vision.

 

[abc123xyx]

come on , they just shoot down a russian su-24...

 

[Neptune]

That's the key point. SCO membership has never been based on cultural or ethnic affinity. It is a rules-based institution with a very serious and comprehensive constitution.

The SCO is not an alternative to the EU. It is an alternative to NATO.

If Turkey is eventually admitted, this means a comprehensive change in Turkey's foreign policy and it would also automatically mean a disengagement from the NATO.

To join the SCO, Turkey does not need to stop EU negotiations. I am sure EU diplomats are surprised that Turkish president thinks the SCO is a substitute for the EU.

The SCO has no common market. No border agreement. It is basically about anti-terrorism, anti-separatism, and anti-extremism.



I am not sure about the realistic aspects of Turan ideology, probably rather weak, or weaker than Pan-Asianism, but Japan's inclusion would also mean their disengagement from the US security regime.

Quite radical.

Right now, what China attempts to do is to finalize the China-Japan-Korea FTA. Even this economic bloc has taken over a decade to build. I am not sure about your government, but, in our part of the world, which is quite different from yours, this kind of decisions are not easy to make. It is not like that one day our President wakes up and decides to change the direction of the country 180 degrees.

You should check our East Asian Confucius (to which Japan belongs, as well) experimentalism, cautiousness and instrumentalism.

For some reason, Middle Eastern leaderships are very quick tempered and easy to make big decisions with little elaboration.

If that was the case like you've described. The transition process of the military and defense bureaucracy alone would take at least a decade. Economic shift? Okay. Political shift? That's okay as well. But the entire defense structure of the country is based on NATO doctrines, combined arms warfare. Even our equipment, including those we design on our own needs are performance-oriented to deter its Russian counterparts. To be the opposite in this situation, militarily it is going to be a nightmare that the national security cannot afford. Think of the NATO pipelines all over the country for example where military grade fuel is provided 7/24 with the best way in the world. Starting logistics from scratch to a point God knows where and how.

On a security-bloc basis, unfortunately it is nearly impossible to happen.

 

[damm1t]

come on , they just shoot down a russian su-24...

Russia is ok with that Btw, don't you guys see that this is a maneuver to force the EU make an immidiate decision. The reason they keep us awaiting is that simply Europe can't handle losing Turkey. They don't want us in the club but they have no balls to say it directly. This time Erdoğan pushes harder.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

If that was the case like you've described. The transition process of the military and defense bureaucracy alone would take at least a decade. Economic shift? Okay. Political shift? That's okay as well. But the entire defense structure of the country is based on NATO doctrines, combined arms warfare. Even our equipment, including those we design on our own needs are performance-oriented to deter its Russian counterparts. To be the opposite in this situation, militarily it is going to be a nightmare that the national security cannot afford. Think of the NATO pipelines all over the country for example where military grade fuel is provided 7/24 with the best way in the world. Starting logistics from scratch to a point God knows where and how.

On a security-bloc basis, unfortunately it is nearly impossible to happen.

With respect disagree. It's a political choice with economic imperatives. The military aspect is by far the easiest to re-configure. Weapons and platforms don't have enemies or friends. The 'finger in the trigger' decides which way it is pointing. You saw that recently with the Turkish coup. All of sudden TuAF F-16s had become hostile because of the pilots. Warfare doctrine is fundamentally the same - designed to prevail. All you do is redesignate the new enemy here > <

Don't forget at the moment major Turkish/NATO architecture in Anatolia is designed to counter Rusian threat. Once that threat converts to friendly that logistics you talk of woulf by and large become redundant.

SCO membership also would reconnect Turkey with it's Central Asian 'cousins' like Turkmen, Kazaks, Uzbeks etc

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Congradutaion on Turkey being invited in such a prestigious group of countries , who we are also part of

 

[type93]

turks bring nothing to the table unless you want to get stabbed in the back

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

turks bring nothing to the table unless you want to get stabbed in the back

We even let India join the SCO despite having an active territorial dispute with them.

We don't have any territorial disputes with Turkey, and the SCO is not a military bloc like NATO. It's all about security/energy/border cooperation in the Central Asian region.

 

[The SC]

That's the key point. SCO membership has never been based on cultural or ethnic affinity. It is a rules-based institution with a very serious and comprehensive constitution.

The SCO is not an alternative to the EU. It is an alternative to NATO.

If Turkey is eventually admitted, this means a comprehensive change in Turkey's foreign policy and it would also automatically mean a disengagement from the NATO.

To join the SCO, Turkey does not need to stop EU negotiations. I am sure EU diplomats are surprised that Turkish president thinks the SCO is a substitute for the EU.

The SCO has no common market. No border agreement. It is basically about anti-terrorism, anti-separatism, and anti-extremism.



I am not sure about the realistic aspects of Turan ideology, probably rather weak, or weaker than Pan-Asianism, but Japan's inclusion would also mean their disengagement from the US security regime.

Quite radical.

Right now, what China attempts to do is to finalize the China-Japan-Korea FTA. Even this economic bloc has taken over a decade to build. I am not sure about your government, but, in our part of the world, which is quite different from yours, this kind of decisions are not easy to make. It is not like that one day our President wakes up and decides to change the direction of the country 180 degrees.

You should check our East Asian Confucius (to which Japan belongs, as well) experimentalism, cautiousness and instrumentalism.

For some reason, Middle Eastern leaderships are very quick tempered and easy to make big decisions with little elaboration.

1) It is not an alternative to NATO (see point2), but since it has some commercial and industrial (enerdy related) part to it, it covers some aspects of the EU so it is closer to the EU than to NATO somehow..

2) Turkey suffers from: Terrorism (bombings in the cities, airport attacks..etc), Separatism (the PKK kurdish separatist movement),and Extremism (the Gulen extremist movement behind the latest failed putsch) , this point alone makes Turkey eligible to SOC's anti-terrorism, anti-separatism, and anti-extremism stand..

3) The best leaders of this world are the ones who can make quick sound decisions and adjust them according to future events and environ variables.. So if the Middle Eastern leadership was like your thoughts about them , they won't negotiate projects and procurements for 10's of years.. in fact they were too slow to make major decisions in the past..which left most of their countries a bit behind others..

 

[Hyde]

I think it is inwise for Turkey to koin SCO

They should remain as part of Nato and work as a bridge betweem two future blocks of Nato and SCO.

Tirkey can always have access to better technology by staying witu NATO and I am not sure if they will not be seen with suspicopus eyes if theu joined both blocks of Nato and SCO

 

[type93]

We even let India join the SCO despite having an active territorial dispute with them.

We don't have any territorial disputes with Turkey, and the SCO is not a military bloc like NATO. It's all about security/energy/border cooperation in the Central Asian region.

India never stabbed Russia in the back, unlike turkey. A virus needs to completely isolated to die

 

[damm1t]

India never stabbed Russia in the back, unlike turkey. A virus needs to completely isolated to die

Take it easy boy Your hatred will kill yourself, have some green tea and Turkish bath