「北層」の地域概念の発展 ―地域機構RCDの結成と動向を事例として

抄録

In this article, I examine how international events during the Cold War era in the 1960s shaped the construction of the “Northern Tier” region, comprising Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan from the perspective of diplomatic history and international relations. Focusing on the joint activities of these three states and their mutual negotiations with Western powers (notably the United Kingdom and the United States), I show how a “Northern Tier” regional identity was embodied within the international environment. I present a case study of the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD), a regional organization formed by “the Northern Tier” states in 1964 to promote economic and cultural cooperation.

These states created RCD largely because of their dissatisfaction with the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) established during the Cold War by the Western alliance. CENTO’s first members from this region, namely Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan, opposed the efforts of the United States to improve relationships with India and with Arab nationalists, like Egypt, in the 1960s. Moreover, they faced critical conflicts with their neighbors, and their call for CENTO’s involvement in regional conflicts was rejected by the Western powers. Thus, RCD’s formation was also politically motivated. The Western powers decided to adopt a “wait and see” approach because their interests lay in preserving the Western alliance and reducing the amount and of their aid. Accordingly, regional and Western states sought to balance their respective interests.

RCD planned to establish a regional common market and joint enterprises among member states to promote regional cooperation. However, these ambitious programs posed particular challenges for its member states given their financial constraints. Nevertheless, some agreements, such as reducing postal and telephone charges and abolishing tourist visas among member states were reached. These “soft” cooperation initiatives contributed to preserving the unity of the “Northern Tier” region while presenting opportunities to promote “hard” cooperation through extended relationships with Third World countries.

The above context suggests that RCD’s main accomplishment entailed the construction of a “Northern Tier” regional identity and the strengthening of regional cooperation. This regional concept evidently originated from Western “containment” strategies. In light of unfolding international events, RCD’s organizational structure was reoriented toward region-specific cooperation, prompting Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan to establish a regional identity. RCD also balanced their interests between Western powers and regional members. It is named as the “CENTO-RCD regime” in this article. This regime strengthened linkages and compatibility between the global Cold War strategy and regional strategies developed by the RCD member states.