Central Asia bloc united against missile shield

Jiang Zemin (left) and Vladimir Putin (right) are concerned about what they see as Washington's dominance of world affairs

From staff and wire reports

SHANGHAI, China -- The leaders of six central Asian nations, led by China and Russia, have formed a united front against U.S. plans to build a national missile defense system.

Led by Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Russia President Vladimir Putin, the newly named Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Friday met to conclude a two-day conference designed to build a new economic and security bloc in central Asia.

In a joint statement, the defense ministers from the six nations meeting on the sidelines of the summit condemned the U.S. missile system.

They also gave strong support to the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, which Washington wants to abolish in favor of the new missile shield.

Russia and China are uneasy with what they see as America's dominance of world affairs and Washington's plans to build a missile defense shield.

Fresh arms race

Russia, China and North Korea warn the proposal may trigger a fresh arms race.

Washington says the shield would only be designed to defend against a small number of missiles launched by 'rogue states' such as North Korea, not large volleys of intercontinental ballistic missiles at the disposal of Russia and China.

Leaders from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are pushing for greater economic and military ties in central Asia

It says the ABM Treaty is a relic of the Cold War between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union, and no longer appropriate as the U.S. moves its defense strategy further towards Asia.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Deguang the SCO was steadfast in its opposition to the missile shield.

"On missile defense they agreed it would have a negative impact on the safeguarding of world strategic balance and security," he told reporters.

The statements against the missile shield come as U.S. president George W. Bush tours Europe for the first time to drum up support for the shield, which has also been given a cool reception by U.S. allies in the region.

Putin is due to meet Bush for the first time in Slovenia on Saturday, with the missile defense shield and ABM Treaty expected to top the agenda.

More trade, investment

Meanwhile, the group also called for more open trade and investment into central Asia and stronger security ties between its six member nations, named the Shanghai Cooperation Organization after the city which hosts its regular meetings.

The new group will replace the Shanghai Five, a loosely knit forum that included Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, created in 1996 to resolve border disputes and fight rising Islamic militancy.

On Thursday, the leaders announced that Uzbekistan had joined as a sixth member.

Joint efforts against separatist groups remained at the center of Friday's agreement.

Putin, with his wife Lyudmila, are due to meet President Bush for the first time on Saturday in Slovenia

Central Asian governments, including China, are grappling with religious rebel groups, many receiving arms and training from the Taliban, Afghanistan's extremist Islamic rulers.

"The cradle of terrorism, separatism and extremism is the instability in Afghanistan," President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakstan warned in a speech during the signing ceremony.

Among the steps discussed during closed-door talks was an offer by China to give military aid to Kyrgystan if uprisings in other countries spill across its borders, the Itar-Tass news agency said.

United front

Beijing and Moscow view the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a way to counter growing U.S. and European investment in the region.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin heralded creation of a "brand new multilateral cooperation organization on the Eurasian continent," saying the new group would promote "world multi-polarization."

Russian President Vladimir Putin called stronger economic ties a key aim of the new group. "Cooperation in the economics, trade and culture is far more important than military cooperation," he said on Friday.

Many leaders called for joint efforts to exploit the region's large reserves of oil, natural gas and minerals. China is keen to gain access to new energy sources for its expanding economy.

Reliance on the West

But pushing economic ties also drew attention to members' reliance on the West, particularly the two largest members -- China and Russia.

Trade between China and Russia totals about $8 billion a year, less than a tenth of China's trade with the United States. China depends on exports for its higher incomes and living standards.

Russia also depends on the West, especially Germany, for the investment it desperately needs to revive its faltering economy.

Central Asia's republics are cautious about handing too much influence to Russia and China, which for centuries have sought to exert their power in the region.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.