#NEWS Iran calls for Asian "convergence" at ACD meeting in Tehran

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks during the 9th Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Tehran, capital of Iran, Nov. 8, 2010. Ahmadinejad called for convergence of the Asian countries during the ACD ministerial meeting in Tehran on Monday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

TEHRAN, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for convergence of the Asian countries at the ninth ministerial meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), which kicked off in Tehran on Monday.

Ahmadinejad said at the opening ceremony that Asia is in need of convergence in order to implement its determining responsibility in the world which is urgently in need of a change in terms of order and conduct.

The ACD ministerial meeting, themed "Towards Asian Convergence and Unification: Promotion of Progress, Peace and Justice," will last two days.

Ahmadinejad said that a mechanism to help countries reach convergence should be developed in Asia, and a convergent Asia, under any title or any name, should actively participate in resolving the global issues.

He said the existing world order is lacking the efficiency to resolve world issues and to create development, peace and justice.

"We are in need of a new world order which guarantees the nations' rights, to recognize the dignity of human being and to promise lasting peace and security," he said.

He added that Asia is the cradle of great civilizations and its culture is full of kindness, devotion, passion and friendship.

With such a pretext it is the responsibility of the Asian countries to actively restructure the global order, he stressed.

Delegates attend the 9th Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Tehran, capital of Iran, Nov. 8, 2010. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for convergence of the Asian countries at the ACD ministerial meeting which kicked off in Tehran on Monday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

Meanwhile, addressing the ACD meeting, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also called for unity and convergence among the member states.

Mottaki said that the ACD conference provides a chance to adopt means for cooperation and convergence of the member states, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Mottaki said the ACD with 31 member states is the biggest block in the Asian continent.

Over the past two days, a troika session, including the previous, current and future heads of ACD, has been held in presence of all the participant states, discussing frames for dialogue and cooperation of the Asian nations, he added.

Mottaki called on Asian states to take the meeting as an opportunity to further strengthen trade mechanisms and economic cooperation on the continent through the ACD, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

"The meeting can be used to push ahead convergence in Asia and move to reinvigorate Asian bonds through coherent and goal- oriented planning in a bid to integrate the (Asian states') capabilities and capacities to turn the Asian continent into a single and influential actor in regional and international equations," Mottaki was quoted as saying.

"The Islamic Republic, which took the presidency of the ACD in September 2010, announces its readiness to strengthen the ACD, restructure it and expand cooperation among the members," said Mottaki.

"Iran will spare no effort to ... prepare the facilities needed for the rapid and successful implementation of the plans (of ACD), " he added.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Saturday that the ACD meeting in Tehran is a good opportunity for the representatives of member countries to express their views and exchange ideas on current regional issues.

The ACD is a body created in 2002 to promote Asian cooperation at a continental level and to help integrate separate regional cooperation organizations such as ASEAN, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks during the 9th Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Tehran, capital of Iran, Nov. 8, 2010. Ahmadinejad called for convergence of the Asian countries during the ACD ministerial meeting in Tehran on Monday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks during the 9th Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Tehran, capital of Iran, Nov. 8, 2010. Ahmadinejad called for convergence of the Asian countries during the ACD ministerial meeting in Tehran on Monday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

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