Central Asia: 'Shanghai Five' To Admit Uzbekistan As New Member

The presidents of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are meeting this week in Shanghai for a summit of the group they formed in 1996 -- the so-called "Shanghai Five." The group has already achieved its original goal of demilitarizing the Chinese-CIS border. Now it has set itself a new task: combating international terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism. This new focus is highlighted by the group's expected admission of a sixth member, Uzbekistan, this week. "Shanghai Five" summit returns this week to the city where it was created in 1996. Gathering in Shanghai today and Friday, the presidents of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are expected to admit a sixth member -- Uzbekistan. In so doing, the regional group will readjust its focus to what members are calling the battle against international terrorism. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Chinese media earlier this week that Uzbekistan will participate in this week's summit as a "full-fledged member." The Shanghai Five was originally formed to reduce military forces along the border between China and the CIS. The reductions were needed as much for budgetary purposes as they were for building trust between the neighboring countries, and were a success on both counts. After military cutback agreements in 1996 and 1997, the five members went on to seek new avenues of cooperation to build on their early progress.