DUSHANBE, May 26, 2015, Asia-Plus --  The annual meeting of a non-governmental branch-off of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) took place in Beijing, China on May 25-26.

The forum reportedly brought together more than 270 representatives from CICA member states and observer states, including former politicians, think tank scholars, senior journalists and envoys from foreign embassies in China.

Tajikistan was represented at the forum by Sayfullo Safarov, the first deputy head of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Tajikistan, and Akbarali Sattorov, the head of Tajik Journalists’ Union.

The forum reportedly focused on issues related to providing sustainable security in Asia, energy security and financial development in Asia, etc.   

China has its rotating chairmanship the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia for the 2014-2016 period.

CICA was launched by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in 1992 as the first step of a four-step process that may culminate in the creation of a transcontinental “Conference on Security and Cooperation in Eurasia.”

CICA has issued several key documents including a Declaration of Principles, Declaration of Eliminating Terrorism and Promoting Dialogue among Civilization, and the Almaty Act. Member-states seek to enlarge cooperation, and create and strengthen the atmosphere of peace, confidence, and friendship on the Asian continent in order to promote regional security.

CICA’s working bodies include the Head of States and Governments Meetings (summits) which occur every four years and serve as the supreme body of the Conference; the Minister of Foreign Affairs Meetings which occur every two years and advance consideration of all CICA-related activities; the Committee of Senior Officials which meets at least once a year and whose role it is to observe implementation of previous CICA decisions, conduct consultations on relevant current issues of the CICA, and consider the Special Working Groups activities; the Special Working Groups, formed upon the decision of the Senior Officials Committee for examination of issues referred to different spheres of CICA activities and realization of defined tasks.  In addition, the member-states established a Secretariat that provides the administrative support for the regular meetings, political consultations, and other activities mentioned in the Almaty Act.  The Secretariat’s activities are regulated by the Provision of the CICA Secretariat.  The Secretariat’s seat is in Almaty, Kazakhstan.