Chair's Statement
The Sixth Asia
Cooperation Dialogue Foreign Ministers' Meeting June 4-5, 2007 Seoul
The Sixth
Asia Cooperation Dialogue Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Seoul on June 4-5, 2007.
The Meeting, chaired by H.E. Song Min-soon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Trade of the Republic
of Korea, was attended by
the Foreign Ministers and Heads of Delegation of thirty ACD member countries.
Ministers, recalling their previous five meetings, held comprehensive
and fruitful discussions on the following issues of common interest:
Seoul IT Declaration: Promoting IT Development and Bridging the Digital Divide
1. Ministers adopted the Seoul IT Declaration, aimed at promoting IT
development among member countries and addressing the issue of the digital
divide in Asia.
2. Ministers expressed
appreciation to Korea
for proposing to share, as the Prime Mover on IT cooperation, its IT
developmental experience with member countries. Ministers also welcomed Russia as the
new Co-prime Mover of the IT cooperation project area.
Progress Reports on Cooperation Projects
3. Ministers reviewed and acknowledged the progress made by
the Prime and Co-prime Mover countries during the past year in the 14 cooperation
project areas. Ministers also expressed appreciation to Thailand for
its lead in compiling the progress reports, and for briefing the Ministers on
the main points of the reports during the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Meanwhile,
Ministers expressed their desires that certain areas of cooperation projects
need to be further implemented with the strengthened participation of the ACD
member countries.
4. Cultural dialogue was proposed to be included as one of
the cooperation projects to promote harmonization among different cultures.
High Level Study Group
5. Ministers endorsed the creation of an ACD high-level study group to
set the future directions for the ACD and to consolidate cooperation among
member countries. Ministers agreed to comprise the study group of senior
foreign affairs officials and academic scholars of the following countries:
Coordinating Group countries, Kazakhstan
(chair of the ACD 7) and the volunteering member countries. Ministers tasked
the study group to convene on 2-3 occasions over the next year to discuss the
following issues: a. end goals of ACD cooperation, b. funding and other mechanisms
to stimulate progress and activity in the different project areas, c. desirability
of creating an ACD secretariat, and d. Track II participation in the ACD
process. Ministers agreed to recommend the study group to submit a final report
on the above matters to the 7th ACD Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kazakhstan
in 2008. Ministers welcomed, with appreciation, Thailand’s
offer to host a preliminary meeting of the High Level Study Group, and noted
the offers by Kazakhstan and
Korea
to host subsequent meetings.
Guidelines for ACD Membership
6. The Ministers agreed
to have a temporary moratorium until the high level study group submits its
final report to the 7th ACD Foreign
Ministers' Meeting in Kazakhstan
next year.
Official ACD Website and Publication
7. Ministers expressed
gratitude to Thailand for
its lead in the renovation of the ACD official website (www.acddialogue.com)
and agreed to provide regular assistance to Thailand in updating the country
information displayed on the website. Ministers also welcomed the launching of
the ACD "e-News" publication and expressed hope that the quarterly
would further engender effective communication among member countries.
Future Meetings
8. Ministers expressed
appreciation and support for Kazakhstan’s
efforts in preparing for the 7th ACD Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and looked forward
to meeting again in 2008.
9. Ministers welcomed, with
gratitude, the offer by Sri
Lanka to host the 8th ACD Foreign Ministers’
Meeting in 2009.
10. Ministers expressed
their appreciation to the government of the Republic of Korea
for the warm hospitality and excellent arrangements accorded to the delegations
during the 6th ACD Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
June
5, 2007 Seoul
