Belgrade to host gathering dedicated to NAM

The Serbian MFA and Washington's Woodrow Wilson Center will on Monday organize a conference on the history and perspectives of the Non-Aligned Movement. 20 years ago, the 9th Summit of the Non-Aligned (NAM) was held in Belgrade, the last that one of its founders, former Yugoslavia – formally the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ) – took part in. Belgrade to host gathering dedicated to NAM Two decades on, the organization and its policy of "peaceful coexistence" will be discussed in the Serbian capital. Another item on the conference's agenda will be Serbia's bid to organize the NAM summit in 2011, which will come on the movement's 50th anniversary. Assistant Foreign Minister Vuk Zugic, who was among the organizers of the last Belgrade summit, says that two topics will dominate the event tomorrow: the movement's history, and consideration of the basic principles of the non-aligned policy, which include respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity. "It will be an opportunity to produce a historical analysis of what the movement has done in the period that's behind us, but at the same time to see whether it has perspective and what it may be. Especially considering that the participants will come from the Non-Aligned Movement member and guest countries, but will also include eminent diplomats from Serbia and from abroad, and beside them, other expert and public figures," he announced. Since its founding in 1961, the movement that today gathers 118 countries, survived a changing global political landscape, that included the fall of the Berlin Wall and the breakup of the Soviet Union. However, with the majority of members being African and Asian countries, it seems that the organization is now focused on the problems of those parts of the world. Still, some principles and issues that its members support surpass regional interests. Thus, a majority of the non-aligned countries backed Serbia's demand to have the International Court of Justice, ICJ, give its opinion on the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral independence declaration. Zugic explains that since one of the basic principles of the movement is respect of the all countries' territorial integrity and sovereignty, the support Serbia received at the UN General Assembly a year ago was not surprising. The conference on Monday will also debate Serbia's idea to host the 2011 summit. Croatia and Slovenia that are now NATO members, and Montenegro that aspires to become one, said they would "consider that initiative", our reporter says.

Belgrade to host gathering dedicated to NAM

Two decades on, the organization and its policy of "peaceful coexistence" will be discussed in the Serbian capital.

Another item on the conference's agenda will be Serbia's bid to organize the NAM summit in 2011, which will come on the movement's 50th anniversary.

Assistant Foreign Minister Vuk Žugić, who was among the organizers of the last Belgrade summit, says that two topics will dominate the event tomorrow: the movement's history, and consideration of the basic principles of the non-aligned policy, which include respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"It will be an opportunity to produce a historical analysis of what the movement has done in the period that's behind us, but at the same time to see whether it has perspective and what it may be. Especially considering that the participants will come from the Non-Aligned Movement member and guest countries, but will also include eminent diplomats from Serbia and from abroad, and beside them, other expert and public figures," he announced.

Since its founding in 1961, the movement that today gathers 118 countries, survived a changing global political landscape, that included the fall of the Berlin Wall and the breakup of the Soviet Union.

However, with the majority of members being African and Asian countries, it seems that the organization is now focused on the problems of those parts of the world.

Still, some principles and issues that its members support surpass regional interests. Thus, a majority of the non-aligned countries backed Serbia's demand to have the International Court of Justice, ICJ, give its opinion on the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral independence declaration.

Žugić explains that since one of the basic principles of the movement is respect of the all countries' territorial integrity and sovereignty, the support Serbia received at the UN General Assembly a year ago was not surprising.

The conference on Monday will also debate Serbia's idea to host the 2011 summit. Croatia and Slovenia that are now NATO members, and Montenegro that aspires to become one, said they would "consider that initiative", our reporter says.