"We see the main purpose of the Conference in taking an active part in the formation in Asia of a uniform space of security and confidence. It is necessary to work towards creating an integral organic network of counteraction to new threats and challenges," Lavrov said.
"This is all the more important, since seats of terrorism and regional conflicts are being preserved here, many border disputes are unsettled, and problems of nuclear missile proliferation and illicit drugs and arms trafficking are high on the order of the day," the minister noted.
Lavrov emphasised that Russia wants to see the Asian continent as "a peaceful, stable, prospering and integrated community of sovereign states". "It is from these positions that we assess our participation in CICA," Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister especially stressed the importance of anti-terrorist provisions of the Joint Declaration, which Conference participants will adopt at the end of the meeting.
Lavrov noted that CICA is moving from the stage of emergence to the stage of practical affairs. According to him, this is taking place in unison with the activation of other multilateral associations in Asia - the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO comprises Russia, China, Kirghizia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan), ASEAN and the ASEAN Regional Forum for security, and forums of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Asia-Europe.
"This tendency is evidence of the strengthening of cooperative and multilateral principles in the Asian space," Lavrov said. In this connection he singled out the recent Tashkent initiative of SCO to form a partnership network of multilateral associations in the Asia-Pacific region (APR).
"It appears that this idea is very timely, and CICA could take an active part in its realisation," the minister said.
Participants of the Conference in Almaty (Kazakhstan) are 16 states: Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, China, Kirghizia, Mongolia, Palestine, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. The US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Ukraine are taking part in the meeting as observers.
This is the second meeting of CICA foreign ministers. The first meeting, held in September 1999, adopted the Declaration of Principles regulating relations between CICA member-countries.
The meeting will consider draft CICA procedural rules, designed to regulate the activity of this dialogue forum and also determine the organisational-administrative structure of CICA, and the functions and powers of the governing bodies of the Conference.
The Russian delegation to the ministerial meeting is led by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
