Asian economic powers look to boost cooperation

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KUWAIT CITY, Oct 9 (AFP): Asia's economic powers, including major oil producers and consumers, are to meet in Kuwait today (Monday) to discuss how to protect their nations against global crises. Foreign ministers of the 31-member Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), set up in 2002, will attend the two-day meeting focused on ways to activate the forum, Kuwait's foreign ministry undersecretary Khaled al-Jarallah said Sunday. "Fortunately, Asian countries have so far avoided the impacts of the world's ongoing sovereign debt crises. We will discuss how to protect our nations against these crises," Jarallah told reporters after a preparatory meeting. Ministers from economic powers such as China, Japan, India and South Korea will meet with their counterparts in the world's leading oil producers, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, in addition to Iran and Russia. They will review the "financial crises and their impact on Asia and ways to face them" and "investment opportunities" including technology and transport, according to a programme distributed by organisers. Jarallah said the meeting, to be opened by the Kuwaiti emir, will discuss the issue of energy supplies in addition to proposals to turn the forum into an organisation capable of implementing projects.