Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA)
1. Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is a forum aimed at enhancing cooperation through elaborating multilateral approaches towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. CICA was established at the initiative of President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan outlined at the 47th UNGA in1992. It currently has 24 members, namely Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Palestine, Republic of Korea, Russia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. India has been a member right since CICA's inception. Nine countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and USA) and three international organizations (the United Nations, the OSCE and the League of Arab States) are Observers. Kazakhstan chaired the CICA process from its inception to the 3rd CICA Summit held in Istanbul on 08 June 2010. Turkey assumed Chairmanship of CICA from the 3rd CICA Summit, initially for the period 2010-12, which has been extended until 2014. The Chairmanship of CICA will be handed over to China in May 2014.
2. The CICA Secretariat has been located in Almaty since June 2006. The host government has decided to shift the CICA Secretariat from Almaty to Astana when the suitable premises are made available in Astana. Summit level meetings at HOS/HOG level are supposed to be held every four years. So far, three Summits have been held, in 2002, 2006 and 2010. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee participated in the first CICA Summit in 2002 while Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Murali Deora and Commerce & Industry Minister Shri Anand Sharma represented PM as Special Envoys at the second and third CICA Summits respectively. CICA Ministerial Meetings are also held once every four years at Foreign Ministerial level. At the last CICA Ministerial held in Astana, Kazakhstan on 12 September 2012, MOS for Communications and Information Technology Shri Sachin Pilot attended. Special Working Group (SWG) and Senior Officials Committee (SOC) meetings are held periodically to discuss further cooperation and related activities among CICA member states in mutually agreed areas. The last CICA SWG and SOC meetings were held in Astana, Kazakhstan from 27-28 June 2013.
3. The CICA Catalogue of CBMs adopted in 2004 identified five basic dimensions for the implementation of CBMs viz. economic, environmental, human, fight against new challenges and threats, and military-political. In recent years CICA has made the transition from a declaratory phase to the phase of implementation of CBMs in various areas. Concept Papers and Action Plans have been developed and adopted on several subjects such as energy security, transport corridors, combating illicit drug trafficking, information technology, small and medium enterprises, tourism, new threats and challenges and human dimension. Expert Meetings and Seminars are held on various dimensions from time to time. Some recent events include the First CICA Chiefs of Police meeting in Antalya from 26-27 May 2010; CICA-IOM Forum 30 May 2011; CICA e-Government Policy Course in Seoul from 06-10 September 2010; CICA Conference on Interethnic Dialogue in Issyk- Kol, Kyrgyzstan on 02 October 2010; CICA Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Experts meeting in
Istanbul on 24 January 2011; Three CICA Business Forums (CBF) held respectively in Bangkok, Istanbul and Yekaterinburg, Russia on 30-31 March 2011, 2-4 April 2012 and 11-12 July 2013; CICA Experts Meeting on Cooperation for the Development of Secure and Effective Systems of Transportation Corridor in Baku from 20-21 April 2011; Regional Training on Precursors and Chemical Control in Bangkok from 22-28 August 2011; Two Expert Meetings on Combating Desertification in Ulaanbaatar and Konya, Turkey held respectively from 6-7 September 2011 and 18-19 June 2013; Luncheon Meeting of CICA Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on 26 September 2011 and on 26 September 2013; International Narcotics Law Enforcement Training Course in Bangkok from 30 January to 08 February 2012; CICA Workshop on Modus Operandi: Method of Drug Concealment and Detection in Tehran from 19-21 February 2012; CICA Workshop on “Information and Communication Technologies as a Vehicle for Increasing Competitiveness of the National Economies of the CICA Member States” in Astana on 21 May, 2013; International Narcotics Law Enforcement Training Course in Thailand from 10-21 June, 2013. Economic Sub-Group and SWG/SOC Meetings in Istanbul, Turkey from 27- 29 February 2012, in Ankara, Turkey from 21-22 June 2012, in Astana, Kazakhstan from 31 July – 1 August 2012 and from 10-12 September 2012, in Ankara, Turkey from 29-30 November 2012 and from 7-8 March 2013, and in Astana from 27-28 June, 2013.
4. The Declaration adopted by the 3rd CICA Summit reaffirmed the commitment to CICA as a forum for dialogue and enhancing cooperation and recognized the important role being played by the CICA in meeting the challenges faced by the world community in general and Asia in particular. Member States condemned terrorism and regarded it as the most serious threat to international peace and security. The Declaration also covered several other issues including disarmament and non-proliferation, peaceful uses of nuclear energy, drug trafficking, energy security, global financial crisis, UN reform, situation in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
5. India has been associated with the CICA process and its activities since the Beginning and is co-cordinator of CBMs in the area of Transport and Energy Security. India believes that CICA can help contribute to the development of a cooperative framework in Asia, based on mutual understanding, trust and sovereign equality. India has emphasized a step-by-step approach in CICA, rooted in the realities of Asia taking into account interests and consensus of all Member States. India has underlined that CICA should focus on implementing CBMs in areas already identified in the 2004 CICA Catalogue of CBMs and the 2007 Cooperative Approach for the Implementation of CICA CBMs. India hosted a CICA Special Working Group /Senior Officials Committee meeting from 18-20 February 2009 in New Delhi. India has seconded an officer of the Government of India to the CICA Secretariat located in Almaty since April 2007. India has offered to co-coordinate CBMs on Energy
Security together with the Republic of Korea and CBMs in the field of developing secure and effective transportation corridors with Azerbaijan.
6. Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Shri Sachin Pilot led the Indian delegation at the Fourth Meeting of the CICA Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Astana, Kazakhstan on 12 September 2012. During the meeting, India underlined its support to the implementation and further consolidation of confidence building measures (CBMs) in the existing agreed areas based on consensus and developing step by-step approach rooted in Asian realities.
7. China will host the CICA Summit meeting from 20-21 May 2014 in Shanghai.
1. Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is a forum aimed at enhancing cooperation through elaborating multilateral approaches towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. CICA was established at the initiative of President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan outlined at the 47th UNGA in1992. It currently has 24 members, namely Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Palestine, Republic of Korea, Russia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. India has been a member right since CICA's inception. Nine countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and USA) and three international organizations (the United Nations, the OSCE and the League of Arab States) are Observers. Kazakhstan chaired the CICA process from its inception to the 3rd CICA Summit held in Istanbul on 08 June 2010. Turkey assumed Chairmanship of CICA from the 3rd CICA Summit, initially for the period 2010-12, which has been extended until 2014. The Chairmanship of CICA will be handed over to China in May 2014.
2. The CICA Secretariat has been located in Almaty since June 2006. The host government has decided to shift the CICA Secretariat from Almaty to Astana when the suitable premises are made available in Astana. Summit level meetings at HOS/HOG level are supposed to be held every four years. So far, three Summits have been held, in 2002, 2006 and 2010. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee participated in the first CICA Summit in 2002 while Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Murali Deora and Commerce & Industry Minister Shri Anand Sharma represented PM as Special Envoys at the second and third CICA Summits respectively. CICA Ministerial Meetings are also held once every four years at Foreign Ministerial level. At the last CICA Ministerial held in Astana, Kazakhstan on 12 September 2012, MOS for Communications and Information Technology Shri Sachin Pilot attended. Special Working Group (SWG) and Senior Officials Committee (SOC) meetings are held periodically to discuss further cooperation and related activities among CICA member states in mutually agreed areas. The last CICA SWG and SOC meetings were held in Astana, Kazakhstan from 27-28 June 2013.
3. The CICA Catalogue of CBMs adopted in 2004 identified five basic dimensions for the implementation of CBMs viz. economic, environmental, human, fight against new challenges and threats, and military-political. In recent years CICA has made the transition from a declaratory phase to the phase of implementation of CBMs in various areas. Concept Papers and Action Plans have been developed and adopted on several subjects such as energy security, transport corridors, combating illicit drug trafficking, information technology, small and medium enterprises, tourism, new threats and challenges and human dimension. Expert Meetings and Seminars are held on various dimensions from time to time. Some recent events include the First CICA Chiefs of Police meeting in Antalya from 26-27 May 2010; CICA-IOM Forum 30 May 2011; CICA e-Government Policy Course in Seoul from 06-10 September 2010; CICA Conference on Interethnic Dialogue in Issyk- Kol, Kyrgyzstan on 02 October 2010; CICA Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Experts meeting in
Istanbul on 24 January 2011; Three CICA Business Forums (CBF) held respectively in Bangkok, Istanbul and Yekaterinburg, Russia on 30-31 March 2011, 2-4 April 2012 and 11-12 July 2013; CICA Experts Meeting on Cooperation for the Development of Secure and Effective Systems of Transportation Corridor in Baku from 20-21 April 2011; Regional Training on Precursors and Chemical Control in Bangkok from 22-28 August 2011; Two Expert Meetings on Combating Desertification in Ulaanbaatar and Konya, Turkey held respectively from 6-7 September 2011 and 18-19 June 2013; Luncheon Meeting of CICA Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on 26 September 2011 and on 26 September 2013; International Narcotics Law Enforcement Training Course in Bangkok from 30 January to 08 February 2012; CICA Workshop on Modus Operandi: Method of Drug Concealment and Detection in Tehran from 19-21 February 2012; CICA Workshop on “Information and Communication Technologies as a Vehicle for Increasing Competitiveness of the National Economies of the CICA Member States” in Astana on 21 May, 2013; International Narcotics Law Enforcement Training Course in Thailand from 10-21 June, 2013. Economic Sub-Group and SWG/SOC Meetings in Istanbul, Turkey from 27- 29 February 2012, in Ankara, Turkey from 21-22 June 2012, in Astana, Kazakhstan from 31 July – 1 August 2012 and from 10-12 September 2012, in Ankara, Turkey from 29-30 November 2012 and from 7-8 March 2013, and in Astana from 27-28 June, 2013.
4. The Declaration adopted by the 3rd CICA Summit reaffirmed the commitment to CICA as a forum for dialogue and enhancing cooperation and recognized the important role being played by the CICA in meeting the challenges faced by the world community in general and Asia in particular. Member States condemned terrorism and regarded it as the most serious threat to international peace and security. The Declaration also covered several other issues including disarmament and non-proliferation, peaceful uses of nuclear energy, drug trafficking, energy security, global financial crisis, UN reform, situation in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
5. India has been associated with the CICA process and its activities since the Beginning and is co-cordinator of CBMs in the area of Transport and Energy Security. India believes that CICA can help contribute to the development of a cooperative framework in Asia, based on mutual understanding, trust and sovereign equality. India has emphasized a step-by-step approach in CICA, rooted in the realities of Asia taking into account interests and consensus of all Member States. India has underlined that CICA should focus on implementing CBMs in areas already identified in the 2004 CICA Catalogue of CBMs and the 2007 Cooperative Approach for the Implementation of CICA CBMs. India hosted a CICA Special Working Group /Senior Officials Committee meeting from 18-20 February 2009 in New Delhi. India has seconded an officer of the Government of India to the CICA Secretariat located in Almaty since April 2007. India has offered to co-coordinate CBMs on Energy
Security together with the Republic of Korea and CBMs in the field of developing secure and effective transportation corridors with Azerbaijan.
6. Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Shri Sachin Pilot led the Indian delegation at the Fourth Meeting of the CICA Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Astana, Kazakhstan on 12 September 2012. During the meeting, India underlined its support to the implementation and further consolidation of confidence building measures (CBMs) in the existing agreed areas based on consensus and developing step by-step approach rooted in Asian realities.
7. China will host the CICA Summit meeting from 20-21 May 2014 in Shanghai.
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