DUSHANBE, May 29, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan has reportedly supported an idea of revival of the Great Silk Road.

The Tajik MFA information department reports that in a statement delivered at the “Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) pragmatic cooperation Silk Road Forum” in Lanzhou, China’s Gansu province, Tajik Deputy Foreign Minister, Nizomiddin Zohidov, noted on May 28 that “traditions and philosophy of the Silk Road are in high demand in our modern world.”

Tajik official stressed that Tajikistan considers that revival of the Silk Road and its traditions is the call of the times.

The forum participants reportedly discussed a role of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue in reviving the Silk Road.  In this connection, they discussed role of ACD energy partners in building green future development of the region and transformation.

Creation of transportation and infrastructure network connecting the countries along the Silk Road, energy partnership of the ACD member nations, environmental protection cooperation, promotion of dialogue of culture through expansion of human exchange and development of tourism were outlined as priorities for revival of the Silk Road. 

The Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) is an intergovernmental organization created in 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.

The Asia Cooperation Dialogue is an important mechanism for inter-governmental dialogue and cooperation in Asia. With such dialogue mechanisms as the summit and the ministerial meeting established, its membership has increased from 18 to 33.  Cooperation within the ACD has now been expanded into 20 areas, including energy, economy, trade, culture, and connectivity, and the Provisional Secretariat is up and running in Kuwait. The ACD has already become an important platform for forging Asian consensus, promoting the Asian spirit and advancing Asian cooperation.