DUSHANBE, October 16, 2008, Asia-Plus — Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi is attending the 7th Ministerial meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) that is opening in Astana, Kazakhstan today.
Foreign ministers from 30 Asian countries are expected to attend the 7th ACD Ministerial meeting in Astana.
The meeting is aiming to consider a broad range of issues related to energy, food security, finance, and development of the information technologies, the Tajik MFA said.
Zarifi is expected to held bilateral talks with his ministerial counterparts from South Korea, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain on sidelines of the ACD meeting.
Inaugurated in Thailand in June 2002, the ACD aims to constitute the missing link in Asia by incorporating every Asian country and building an Asian Community without duplicating other organizations or creating a bloc against others. A key principle is to consolidate Asian strengths and fortify Asia”s competitiveness by maximizing the diversity and rich resources evident in Asia. Currently, the ACD comprises 30 countries: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam, with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan admitted at the Fifth ACD Ministerial Meeting in Doha, Qatar in May 2006.
During his stay in Astana, Hamrokhon Zarifi will also attend the forum of foreign ministers of Muslim and Western Countries, entitled “Common World: Progress through Diversity.” That will be held there on October 17.
The idea to hold the “Common World: Progress through Diversity” forum was initially discussed during high-level contacts between Kazakhstan’s officials and dignitaries and counterparts from different countries both from the Muslim World and the West.
The “Common World: Progress through Diversity” Forum is viewed as a one-time event that may bring together Foreign Ministers of more than 50 countries that belong to the Muslim World and the West. Thus, it’s up to them to decide whether this Forum should have a follow-up in any form or level. It focuses on the specific mechanism of the dialogue, which is the meeting of Foreign Ministers of Muslim and Western countries. Secondly, the forthcoming Forum will only focus on the political dialogue between the two largest civilizations, notably, of the Muslim World and West. Thirdly, the Forum will highlight the issues that are urgent for the interaction of the ‘two poles’ and is expected to result in political commitments.
