Ahmadinejad Calls for Broader Asian Cooperation

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for broader cooperation among Asian countries to counter “anguish inflicted” on the continent by the West. Ahmadinejad made the comments at the first summit of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) group in Kuwait City on Tuesday.

“The occupation of Palestine and Iraq, the military presence in Afghanistan, bringing insecurity to Pakistan, training and organizing terrorist groups, promoting drug production, and sowing discord among nations are parts of the anguish inflicted on parts of Asia by the West,” Ahmadinejad said. (IRNA, 17 October)

Iran is one of the 32 members of the ACD, which was founded in 2002 to promote cooperation between Asian countries and to help integrate separate regional organizations, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Photo credit: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the first summit of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue group. Kuwait City, 16 October 2012. (IRNA/Press TV)