Closer relations urged for prosperity in C. Asia

Central Asian countries should strengthen cooperation on all fronts for the stability and prosperity of the entire region and build a safer and just world, officials and analysts told a forum on Thursday.

"Today, the world is facing unprecedented challenges. We are witnessing a dangerous erosion of the very foundations of the international relations system, rising geostrategic tensions and global economic uncertainty," said Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in a welcome address to the first Central Asian Forum on Security and Cooperation held in the capital Astana.

Widespread ecological imbalance and social inequality caused dramatic consequences, so it is therefore important to focus efforts on seeking constructive ideas and effective approaches to building a safer and just world, said Tokayev, whose speech was read out by Murat Nurtleu, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister of Kazakhstan.

"As we seek to comprehend our region's mission in the modern world, we should, first of all, proceed from common intrinsic security interests and an unwavering aspiration toward comprehensive cooperation on the path toward sustainable progress," Tokayev said.

Nurtleu highlighted that Central Asia is an integral and important part of Asia, which is a dynamic developing region with a population of 77 million people and a combined GDP of almost $350 billion.

Asia plays a crucial role in global affairs, both in terms of its economic potential and political influence, he said, adding that peaceful negotiations can be the only solution regarding border disputes in Central Asia.

In boosting regional cooperation, the minister stressed a "substantial contribution" to regional stability made by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, or SCO.

"This year, Kazakhstan assumed the chairmanship in the SCO. In this capacity, we shall focus on fostering economic and trade relations, ensuring energy security and protecting our environment, enhancing digital connectivity and humanitarian ties," he said.

Strong partnerships

Kazakhstan has a keen interest in merging strong partnerships along the Middle Corridor to amplify the existing untapped potential of some global initiatives such as China's Belt and Road Initiative, Nurtleu said.

Minhyeon Jeong, associate research fellow focusing on Russian and Eurasian issues at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, told China Daily that cooperation under the SCO framework has brought benefits to Central Asian countries and more potential would be unleashed in the near future.

The pivotal thing is to better harmonize cooperative projects such as the SCO and the BRI with Central Asian countries' own development blueprints, he said, adding that an economic cooperation platform within the region is also critical for regional security, stability and social and economic prosperity.

The two-day forum was co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.