While visiting Moscow, CICA Executive Director Ambassador Kairat Sarybay had an extensive meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Igor Morgulov and thoroughly discussed the relevant issues of the CICA agenda with Director of the Asian and Pacific Cooperation Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexey Ovchinnikov.
The Executive Director provided detailed information on advancing CICA priorities, including the concept of transforming CICA into an international organization and substantive preparations for the Sixth CICA Summit to be held in Nur-Sultan on 12-13 October 2022.
Ambassador Sarybay stated that the strategic goal of the Kazakh Chairmanship was to strengthen CICA in the context of Asia's growing global role and transition to new levels of cooperation among the Member States. The CICA Executive Director highlighted key principles of the proposed transformation based on gradual and consistent approach, and preservation of the goals and fundamental agreements within CICA. The Sixth CICA Summit to be held in the year that marks the initiative's 30th anniversary is expected to implement the political will of the heads of state and government and launch a historical transformation.
The CICA Executive Director emphasized the relevance and the universal nature of the fundamental principles guiding the relations among the CICA Member States and reflecting the principles of the UN Charter. He underlined that CICA's commitment to these principles and its broad geography made it an even more needed platform for the Member States today.
Deputy Minister Morgulov stressed that the world has entered a new era and all global processes have undergone tectonic shifts. In this regard, the Russian side is currently analyzing ways to transform CICA into an international organization that would meet the interests of its Member States under new circumstances. The meeting participants expressed the importance of strengthening the organization's capacity to promote sustainable connectivity between Europe and Asia and to focus on consensus areas of practical interest.
During the consultations with Director of the APCD of the Russian Foreign Ministry Ovchinnikov, Ambassador Sarybay informed about the preparation for the meeting of the Senior Officials Committee that will take place on 30 March 2022, the work of the Chairmanship and the Secretariat on other documents, including the draft Regulations of the CICA Fund, the CICA Plan of Action for Implementation of UN Global Counter Terrorism Strategy, as well as the CICA institutions: the Business Council, Youth Council, Think Tank Forum, and the status of the formation of the newly established Council of Eminent Persons.
The meetings emphasized that the new geopolitical reality would have a serious impact on international and regional structures, including those in Asia. In this context, the participants noted the importance of maintaining multilateralism to ensure dialogue and cooperation not only in the CICA area, but also in Greater Eurasia, the demand for CICA’s comparative advantages in the current international environment, and its expedient transformation in the new reality.
During his visit, the CICA Executive Director met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Mikhail Bogdanov and discussed the current situation in Southwest Asia, as well as highlighted CICA’s potential to implement a number of peace initiatives aimed at enhancing regional security and stability.
