Conference focuses on Non-Aligned Movement

Twenty years after the last Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit held in Belgrade, Serbia hosted a conference dedicated to the organization. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the international symposium, “Peace and Legacy for a Peaceful World”, and invited the NAM countries' ambassadors accredited to Serbia, in order to mark the anniversary of the 1989 summit. Conference focuses on Non-Aligned Movement This gave Serbia another opportunity to promote its bid to have former Yugoslav republics co-host the proposed Belgrade summit in 2011, that will mark the 50th anniversary of the movement. The Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ) – which dissolved in the early 1990s – and the country's lifelong president Josip Broz Tito, were among the founders of NAM during the first conference of the organization, held in Belgrade on September 1, 1961. "The Non-Aligned Movement should continue to act on the principles set in 1961," said Nigerian Foreign Ministry State Secretary Alhaji Jibril Maigari, addressing the conference today. "The economic crisis demonstrated this. The world economic crisis spilled over from the United States to the rest of the world – primarily to the developing countries, a majority of our members." "The world also needs a new international financial order. It's unacceptable to have income per capita in Africa under a dollar a day," he added. Former Cypriot president Yorgos Vassos Vassiliou also spoke at the summit, stating that movement should deal with the issue of growing differences between the developed and developing countries. On behalf of Serbia, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic expressed his confidence that the countries created in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, 20 years later, although having observer status in the NAM, can do much to restore its role as an important player when it comes to world peace and security. "Today, the world is in the midst of another paradigm shift, in many ways comparable to 1989, and the Non-Aligned Movement has an unprecedented opportunity to re-position itself in this time of great transformation,” said Jeremic. He added that while pursuing its way to the EU, Serbia will continue good cooperation with NAM member states. The minister expressed optimism regarding Serbia's bid to hosts the 2011 summit. "Serbia today will continue to pursue balanced, independent and active foreign policy whose strategic priority is EU membership, defense of territorial integrity, and regaining Yugoslavia's former international standing,” Jeremic underscored. He noted that 85 percent of the Non-Aligned countries did not recognize the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence, and expressed Serbia's profound gratitude for their solidarity and commitment to international law. The gathering in Belgrade today (Tanjug)

Conference focuses on Non-Aligned Movement

This gave Serbia another opportunity to promote its bid to have former Yugoslav republics co-host the proposed Belgrade summit in 2011, that will mark the 50th anniversary of the movement.

The Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ) – which dissolved in the early 1990s – and the country's lifelong president Josip Broz Tito, were among the founders of NAM during the first conference of the organization, held in Belgrade on September 1, 1961.

"The Non-Aligned Movement should continue to act on the principles set in 1961," said Nigerian Foreign Ministry State Secretary Alhaji Jibril Maigari, addressing the conference today. "The economic crisis demonstrated this. The world economic crisis spilled over from the United States to the rest of the world – primarily to the developing countries, a majority of our members."

"The world also needs a new international financial order. It's unacceptable to have income per capita in Africa under a dollar a day," he added.

Former Cypriot president Yorgos Vassos Vassiliou also spoke at the summit, stating that movement should deal with the issue of growing differences between the developed and developing countries.

On behalf of Serbia, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić expressed his confidence that the countries created in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, 20 years later, although having observer status in the NAM, can do much to restore its role as an important player when it comes to world peace and security.

"Today, the world is in the midst of another paradigm shift, in many ways comparable to 1989, and the Non-Aligned Movement has an unprecedented opportunity to re-position itself in this time of great transformation,” said Jeremić.

He added that while pursuing its way to the EU, Serbia will continue good cooperation with NAM member states.

The minister expressed optimism regarding Serbia's bid to hosts the 2011 summit.

"Serbia today will continue to pursue balanced, independent and active foreign policy whose strategic priority is EU membership, defense of territorial integrity, and regaining Yugoslavia's former international standing,” Jeremić underscored.

He noted that 85 percent of the Non-Aligned countries did not recognize the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence, and expressed Serbia's profound gratitude for their solidarity and commitment to international law.