PHM-Exch> Summit revitalises the Non Aligned Movement

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: South <South at southcentre.org>


 *Visit the South Centre’s website: www.southcentre.org.

*

*A Summit that revitalised the Non Aligned Movement*

* By Martin Khor       excerpts
*

The Summit of the Non Aligned Movement concluded in Tehran on 31 August in
high spirits with the political leaders adopting several declarations and
action plans, and many of them calling for a revival of the importance of
NAM, especially to protect the countries from foreign intervention and to
build a new multi-polar world.****

 If NAM has been searching for a new identity since the end of the Cold
War, it seems to have found it in the fight against continued political and
economic domination by the dominant countries, in reforming the United
Nations and other global institutions, and enabling the South to have a
fair say in global decision-making.****

 The Summit had come under the spotlight before it started as a result of
an  attempt by the United States to dissuade Ban Ki-Moon, and reportedly
some high-level political leaders, from attending on the ground that it
would legitimise the standing of Iran, on which the US and Europe have
placed sanctions over the issue of its nuclear programme.

This US move seems to have boomeranged because the high-level attendance
was seen as a snub to its attempt to isolate Iran.****

A highlight was the statement by Ayatollah Khamenei that Iran regards the
use of nuclear, chemical and similar weapons as a“great and unforgivable
sin.” He attacked the argument of countries possessing the largest nuclear
arsenals for retaining them as a deterrent.  This concept has to be
rejected totally as nuclear arms do not provide security but pose a threat
to all.

Calling for a nuclear weapons-free Middle East, Khamenei said this did not
mean he right to peaceful use of nuclear power and production of nuclear
fuel.  He attacked some Western countries that own nuclear weapons and
armed Israel with them, but opposed Iran’s production of nuclear fuel for
medical and other peaceful purposes. He put forward the motto, “nuclear
energy for all, and nuclear arms for none.”****

Ban Ki-Moon praised the Arab Spring, and criticised those countries that
supplied arms to both sides in the Syrian conflict. He identified nuclear
proliferation as the biggest threat and called on Iran as NAM president to
play a role, and also asked Iran to build international confidence on the
peaceful use of its nuclear programme.****

President Morsi of Egypt, whose country chaired NAM the past three years,
said NAM had stuck to its principles and direction, and it must actively
work to achieve the theme of peace through joint global governance. In a
just world order, developing countries would escape from marginality and be
part of power sharing.  ****

He added that democracy had to be implemented at a global level, that
multilateralism without these principles was unacceptable. He also called
for a solution for Palestine and action to stop the conflict in Syria.****

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today’s global governance
structures were outmoded and NAM should take the lead in reforming these
structures, including the Security Council, IMF and World Bank.  He called
for South-South collaboration in solar energy, food security and skills
development.****

The Vice President of Venezuela, which will be Chair of NAM after Iran’s
term, traced two previous phases of NAM’s history:  from 1961 to 1986 when
NAM focused on the fight for decolonisation and development during the Cold
War era when NAM achieved great visibility; and from 1992 with the fall of
the Soviet bloc and the attempt by the US to dominate a uni-polar, when NAM
stressed the UN principles of sovereignty of states and non-intervention.***
*

The time has come for a new phase to consolidate a multi-polar world
without empires and hegemonic powers, with respect for international law,
peace and development, he said, elaborating also on UN reform, and on the
rapid reforms and regionalism in Latin America which has emerged as a
powerful bloc.      ****

 The Tehran Declaration is mainly about measures to reform global
governance.  It also covers NAM’s position on Palestine, racism, human
rights, nuclear weapons and peaceful nuclear activities, terrorism,
dialogue among religions and cultures, and the need for nations not to use
extra-territorial or coercive measures.****

The Final Document, formulated by the NAM in New York, gives details on the
NAM position on global issues (especially UN reform); regional political
issues; development, social and human rights issues.  The action points of
these are distilled into the Tehran Plan of Action.  ****

In his closing speech, Iranian President Ahmadinezhad said that all the
leaders had emphasised that NAM should have its deserved position in the
world, and preparation is needed so that NAM can play its important role in
international relations.  The commitment of NAM is for a better world based
on justice and compassion.****
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