FM: Iran to promote cooperation within Asia Cooperation Dialogue, help realize its goals
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says Tehran will do its best to boost cooperation among the members of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) during its rotating presidency of the forum.
He made the remarks in a Monday meeting with Secretary General of the ACD Pornchai Danvivathana in Tehran.
The top diplomat said during its rotating presidency of the ACD, in addition to promoting cooperation within the body, Iran will do its utmost to pave the way for the realization of its goals.
Amir-Abdollahian said the Kuwait-based ACD secretariat plays a leading role in bolstering cooperation among its members, and expressed Iran's readiness to help the secretariat and the ACD Cultural and Tourism Coordination Center, which is based in Tehran, in this regard.
Danvivathana, for his part, briefed Amir-Abdollahian on ACD's foreign ministerial meeting, which is set to be held in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly's annual meeting. Iran's one-year presidency of the ACD will start following that meeting.
The first of its kind in Asia, the Asia Cooperation Dialogue is a continent-wide forum, which was inaugurated in Thailand in 2002.
More specifically, the ACD aims to constitute a 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.
Iran, Uzbekistan agree to implement presidential agreements
In a separate development also on Monday, the foreign ministers of Iran and Uzbekistan signed a document to implement the agreements previously reached during a meeting between the two counties' presidents.
The document was signed in a virtual meeting between Amir-Abdollahian and his Uzbek counterpart, Bakhtiyor Saidov, as the two foreign ministers discussed all aspects of bilateral cooperation in political and economic sectors.
The top diplomats also exchanged views about the summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), which is scheduled to be held in Uzbekistan in November.
Saidov invited his Iranian counterpart to visit Uzbekistan.
In the presence of Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi and his Uzbek counterpart, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in Tehran in June, officials from both countries signed 10 documents for cooperation in various fields.
According to the documents, Iran and Uzbekistan will enhance cooperation in trade, transportation and transit, pharmacology, standards and insurance, the establishment of joint free zones, technology and innovation, as well as agriculture.
MG
