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China, Russia Form Anti-U.S. Axis NewsMax.comChina, Russia and four central Asian nations have formed a new anti-American axis to oppose U.S. plans to build a national missile defense. Led by Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin and Russia President Vladimir Putin, the newly named Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Friday concluded a two-day conference forming an economic and security bloc. Jiang heralded creation of a "brand new multilateral cooperation organization on the Eurasian continent," saying the new group would promote "world multi-polarization." Cooperation between the signatory states "will be strengthened further." Putin tried to play down the organization's military role. "Cooperation in the economics, trade and culture is far more important than military cooperation," he said Friday in Shanghai. The six countries - including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - denounced Washington's plans to deploy a missile shield, which would violate the 1972 Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty. President Bush has declared the pact a relic and wants it scrapped. Some say the treaty is already void because it was signed with the now-defunct Soviet Union - which has repeatedly broken the treaty. The defense ministers of the six nations nonetheless signed a joint declaration of support for the ABM Treaty. They described the ABM treaty as a "cornerstone of global stability and an important condition for promoting the process of arms reduction." Russia, China and North Korea warn the proposal could trigger an arms race. Washington says the shield would be designed only to defend against a small number of missiles launched by rogue states such as North Korea, not large volleys of intercontinental ballistic missiles that Russia and China have. The conference also focused on expanding trade and fighting terrorism in the region. Trade Beijing and Moscow view the organization as a way to counter growing U.S. and European investment in the region. Leaders called for joint efforts to exploit the region's large reserves of oil, natural gas and minerals. China, unfettered by the sort of environmental activists that hinder U.S. energy development, is keen to gain access to new energy sources for its expanding economy. Terrorism "The signing of the Shanghai Pact forms the legal foundation for a joint crackdown on terrorism, separatism and extremism, and reflects the firm determination of the six states on safeguarding regional security," Jiang said. SCO will fight regional security threats, initially by deploying forces at an anti-terrorism coordination center in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The Central Asian states have been threatened with incursion by Islamic fundamentalists seeking to establish an extremist state in the heart of Central Asia along the lines of the Taliban now controlling Afghanistan. China is increasingly concerned with the growing separatist movement in Xinjiang, in northwestern China, where the Muslim Uighur minority has staged attacks against officials of the communist regime. Shanghai Cooperation Organization replaces the group known as the Shanghai Five now that it has been expanded to include Uzbekistan. Armed with the support of China and the four former Soviet Central Asian republics on the volatile issue of international security, Putin returned to Moscow. He will travel to Slovenia for today's summit with Bush. Editor's note: This report included information from United Press International, CNN and the Associated Press.
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