10/29/2014 Asia Cooperation Dialogue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Asia Cooperation Dialogue From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) is an intergovernmental organization created on 18 June Asia Cooperation Dialogue 2002 to promote Asian cooperation at a continental level and to help integrate separate regional organizations such as ASEAN, SAARC and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Contents Member states in yellow Headquarters Vacant 1 History Type Regional cooperation 2 Objectives organizations 3 History Members 33 Countries 4 Member States Leaders 5 Other Asian countries - President Vacant 6 See also - Secretary Bundit Limschoon General 7 References Establishment 2002 8 Further reading Website 9 External links www.acddialogue.com (http://www.acddialogue.com/) History It is the main objective of the former Thai Prime Minister to form the Asia Co-operation Dialogue or the forerunner to the Asian Union. The ACD's main members states are Kuwait, Pakistan, Iran, Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Thailand, China and Japan, the so-called major nine ACD Nations.[1] Objectives The main objectives of the ACD are to: 1. Promote interdependence among Asian countries in all areas of cooperation by identifying Asia's common strengths and opportunities which will help reduce poverty and improve the quality of life for Asian people whilst developing a knowledge-based society within Asia and enhancing community and people empowerment; 2. Expand the trade and financial market within Asia and increase the bargaining power of Asian countries in lieu of competition and, in turn, enhance Asia's economic competitiveness in the global market; 3. Serve as the missing link in Asian cooperation by building upon Asia's potentials and strengths through supplementing and complementing existing cooperative frameworks so as to become a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Cooperation_Dialogue 1/7 10/29/2014 Asia Cooperation Dialogue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia viable partner for other regions; 4. Ultimately transform the Asian continent into an Asian Community, capable of interacting with the rest of the world on a more equal footing and contributing more positively towards mutual peace and prosperity. History The idea of an Asia Cooperation Dialogue was raised at the First International Conference of Asian Political Parties (held in Manila between 17–20 September 2000) by Surakiart Sathirathai, then deputy leader of the now defunct Thai Rak Thai Party, on behalf of his party leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, then Prime Minister of Thailand. It was suggested that Asia as a continent should have its own forum to discuss Asia-wide cooperation. Afterwards, the idea of the ACD was formally put forward during the 34th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Hanoi, 23–24 July 2001 and at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat in Phuket, 20–21 February 2002. Ministerial Meetings 1st ACD Ministerial Meeting: June 18–19, 2002 in Cha Am, Thailand 2nd ACD Ministerial Meeting: June 21–22, 2003 in Chiang Mai, Thailand 3rd ACD Ministerial Meeting: June 21–22, 2004 in Qingdao, People's Republic of China 4th ACD Ministerial Meeting: April 4–6, 2005 in Islamabad, Pakistan 5th ACD Ministerial Meeting: May 23–24, 2006 in Doha, Qatar 6th ACD Ministerial Meeting: June 5–6, 2007 in Seoul, South Korea 7th ACD Ministerial Meeting: October 16–17, 2008 in Astana, Kazakhstan 8th ACD Ministerial Meeting: October 15–16, 2009 in Colombo, Sri Lanka[2] 9th ACD Ministerial Meeting: November 8-9, 2010 in Tehran, Iran 10th ACD Ministerial Meeting: October 10-11, 2012 in Kuwait City, Kuwait 11th ACD Ministerial Meeting: March 29, 2013 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan[3] 12th ACD Ministerial Meeting: November 26, 2013 in Manama, Bahrain[4] Future ACD Ministerial Meetings 13th ACD Ministerial Meeting: 2014 in Saudi Arabia Member States The ACD was founded by 18 members. Since September 2013, the organization consists of 33 states[5] as listed below (including all current members of ASEAN and the GCC). Overlapping regional organization membership in italics. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Cooperation_Dialogue 2/7 10/29/2014 Asia Cooperation Dialogue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Membership and expansion of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue A clickable Euler diagram showing the relationships between various Asian regional organisations v • d • e (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php? title=Template:Supranational_Asian_Bodies&action=edit) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Cooperation_Dialogue 3/7 10/29/2014 Asia Cooperation Dialogue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Name Accession date Regional organization Afghanistan 17 October 2012 SAARC Bahrain 18 June 2002 GCC, AL Bangladesh 18 June 2002 SAARC, BIMSTEC [t 1] Bhutan 27 September 2004 SAARC, BIMSTEC Brunei 18 June 2002 ASEAN Cambodia 18 June 2002 ASEAN, MCG China 18 June 2002 — India 18 June 2002 SAARC, BIMSTEC, MCG Indonesia 18 June 2002 ASEAN Iran 21 June 2004 — Japan 18 June 2002 — [t 2] Kazakhstan 21 June 2003 CIS South Korea 18 June 2002 — Kuwait 21 June 2003 GCC, AL [6] Kyrgyzstan 16 October 2008 CIS Laos 18 June 2002 ASEAN, MCG Malaysia 18 June 2002 ASEAN Mongolia 21 June 2004 — Burma 18 June 2002 ASEAN, BIMSTEC, MCG Oman 21 June 2003 GCC, AL Pakistan 18 June 2002 SAARC Philippines 18 June 2002 ASEAN Qatar 18 June 2002 GCC, AL [t 2] Russia 4 April 2005 CIS, CoE Saudi Arabia 4 April 2005 GCC, AL Singapore 18 June 2002 ASEAN Sri Lanka 21 June 2003 SAARC, BIMSTEC Tajikistan 5 June 2006 CIS Thailand 18 June 2002 ASEAN, BIMSTEC, MCG [5][t 2] [t 3] Turkey 26 September 2013 CoE United Arab Emirates 21 June 2004 GCC, AL Uzbekistan 5 June 2006 CIS Vietnam 18 June 2002 ASEAN, MCG 1. ^ One more membership request was finally confirmed at the ACD Breakfast Meeting of 27 September 2004 2. ^ a b c Located partially in Europe. 3. ^ Turkey is a European Union candidate since 1999. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Cooperation_Dialogue 4/7 10/29/2014 Asia Cooperation Dialogue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Other Asian countries The remaining non-member Asian countries and regions have so far not expressed interest in joining the ACD. Overlapping regional organization membership in italics. Name Regional organization Armenia [I 1] CIS, CoE Azerbaijan [I 2] CIS, CoE Cyprus [I 1][I 3] EU, CoE East Timor ASEAN candidate, PIF observer Egypt [I 4] AL, AU Georgia [I 2] CoE Iraq AL Israel CoE observer Jordan AL Lebanon AL Maldives SAARC Nepal SAARC, BIMSTEC North Korea — Palestine AL [I 5] Papua New Guinea ASEAN candidate, PIF Syria AL [I 6] Taiwan — Turkmenistan CIS associate Yemen AL, GCC candidate 1. ^ a b Located entirely in West Asia but having socio-political connections with Europe. 2. ^ a b Located partially in Europe. 3. ^ Cyprus is European Union member since 2004. 4. ^ Located mostly in Africa. 5. ^ Located entirely in Oceania but having socio-political connections with Asia. 6. ^ Republic of China (Taiwan) has not been able to join the ACD due to strong opposition from China which claims the island as part of its territory. See Legal status of Taiwan and Political status of Taiwan for details. See also Pan-Asianism Asian Currency Unit Asian Clearing Union Asian Development Bank http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Cooperation_Dialogue 5/7 10/29/2014 Asia Cooperation Dialogue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Asian Parliamentary Assembly Continental regional organizations International organization Continental union East Asia Community Asia–Europe Meeting Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia Shanghai Cooperation Organisation References 1. ^ For an analysis of the history of the ACD see Michael, Arndt (2013). India's Foreign Policy and Regional Multilateralism (Palgrave Macmillan), pp. 175-181. 2. ^ "Arrangements for media coverage of the 8th Asia Cooperation Dialogue Ministerial Meeting October 2009" (http://dfa.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/attachment-2.pdf). Retrieved 2009-09-15. 3. ^ http://thailandnewsworth.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/thaksins-statement-at-the-11th-asia-cooperation- dialogue-ministerial-meeting/ 4. ^ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2013-11/26/c_132918078_2.htm 5. ^ a b "No: 253, 26 September 2013, Press Release on Turkey’s Membership to the Asia Cooperation Dialogue" (http://www.mfa.gov.tr/no_-253_-26-september-2013_-press-release-on-turkey_s-membership-to-- the-asia-cooperation-dialogue.en.mfa). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey. 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2013- 10-26. 6. ^ "Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun Attends the 7th Asia Cooperation Dialogue Foreign Ministers’Meeting in Kazakhstan" (http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/zxxx/t518795.htm). Retrieved 2010-06-28. Further reading Why We Need an Asian Union (http://www.au2010.org/backgroundarticles.htm) European Policy Centre (2005-01): EU and Asian Integration Processes Compared (http://www.nira.go.jp/newse/paper/japan-eu/pdf/berkofsky.pdf) The Guardian (2005-04-12): Hopes and Fears of an Asian Union (http://www.guardian.co.uk/burma/story/0,13373,1457342,00.html) International Herald Tribune (2005-06-18): Toward an 'Asian Union'? (http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/06/17/news/edbowring.php) Asia Times (2005-10-01): Hedging China with FTAs (http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/GJ01Ad01.html) International Herald Tribune (2005-12-16): An Asian Union? Not Yet (http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/16/opinion/edbowring.php) Bangkok Post (2006-05-19): Towards a Truly Pan-Asian Community (http://www.acddialogue.com/news/articles_detail.php?ID=79) China Daily (2007-04-21): Asian Integration Still a Long Way Off http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Cooperation_Dialogue