Imagine nearly two thirds of the UN members meeting together to discuss and reach consensus on international events. This is what happened in Havana, Cuba, at the 14th Non-Aligned Countries Movement (NAM) Summit from September 11-16. Cuba, the new holder of the presidency of the NAM, again became a focus of world attention.
"You can see from the participants in the summit conference that the representativeness of the NAM this time are very broad," Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernandez, Cuban Ambassador to China, said in an interview with Beijing Review.
At the summit, two more countries, Haiti and St. Kitts and Nevis, were approved as NAM members, expanding the number to 118. A total of 56 top leaders and 90 foreign ministers participated in the conference. Meanwhile, some delegations were headed by vice presidents or vice prime ministers. Fifteen observer nations, including China, took part in the summit. Participants also included UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, African Union representatives, and representatives from the MERCOSUR customs union and the Andean Community in South America.
"All countries and regional organizations in the Caribbean area participated in the conference. This is the first time in NAM history," Hernandez said.
The major goal of the summit was to "revitalize the movement so that it will play a role in the international arena that is in keeping not only with its current membership of 118 countries but also our history of battles in the name of the loftiest causes," Raul Castro, President of the Council of State and Ministers of Cuba, said in his closing address to the summit.
Besides stressing the implementation of the UN Charter and maintaining world peace, the NAM summit also voiced support for the development courses of Venezuela and Bolivia, as well as Cuba's efforts to combat the U.S. blockade and its occupation of Guantanamo Bay. At the same time, the summit supported Iran's right to peaceful utilization of nuclear energy and objected to double standards in this regard.
"It is impossible for the world's nationalities to be in one mode; different countries should have different development modes," Hernandez said.
Cuban leader Fidel Castro did not participate in the summit because of his recent gastrointestinal surgery, but he was elected chairman of the NAM.
Three highlights
"The NAM has now developed into an important force in pushing the world economic and political system in the direction of justice and reasonableness," Wu Miaofa, a researcher with the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), told Beijing Review.
According to him, the NAM summit left a deep impression in at least three aspects. "The first is that the NAM, after decades of a low ebb, has regained its vigor in international affairs," Wu noted, adding that the gathering of NAM members and their discussion of various international affairs demonstrated the organization's vitality.
During the 45 years since the first NAM summit was held in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in 1961, many developing countries, mainly in Asia, Africa and Latin America, have followed an independent and non-aligned foreign policy, serving as a third important political force between the United States and Soviet Union during the Cold War period.
Wu worked in the UN as a councilor in the 1970s and said he felt the strong influence of the NAM in the world organization at that time. Because of the large gap between finished product prices and raw material prices, which had hurt developing countries' interests, the NAM made efforts to establish a new international economic and political system at the sixth Special Session of the UN General Assembly in 1974. Many developing countries rallied to that cause. "This indicates the NAM could sense unsatisfying elements in the world economic and political structure and take active measures to try to change them," Wu noted.
After the end of the Cold War, many NAM members gave priority to building their own countries and the opportunities for them to join together to promote world development became fewer. Meanwhile, because of an increase in conflicts among NAM members themselves, the establishment of other economic organizations for developing countries and Western countries' disengagement, the NAM's influence became less, and it was on the brink of being forgotten.
Entering the new millennium, however, the world order changed greatly. U.S. unilateralism and its preemptive strategy failed to contain the development of terrorism. On the contrary, terrorism has increased worldwide.
According to Wu, the world's problems, such as weapons of mass destruction, the Middle East, and the Iranian and North Korean nuclear issues, are also pressing on the NAM. The organization needs to have a platform to speak about these affairs.
"Cuba has done well in arranging the conference and all the 118 NAM countries showed great unity at the conference, which is rarely seen in history. This is the second highlight of the summit," said Wu. He added that the NAM members are different in many aspects: Some are African countries, some are Arab countries, some are U.S. allies, such as India and Pakistan, and some, such as Iran, have been labeled part of an "axis of evil" by Washington. "They can still reach a consensus on many international affairs, which indicates the NAM's strong internal unity," Wu said.
He denied that the NAM is an anti-U.S. organization. "Most of the members would like to cooperate with the United States to improve the world order."
"The third highlight is that the NAM's suspicion of U.S. foreign policy influenced the country's hegemonism and unilateralism," said Wu.
Because of the deterioration of the image of the Bush administration among NAM and European Union members, the United States faced a dilemma and the White House is gradually changing its practices. It has changed its attitude toward the UN. "Previously, the United States could take action without approval from the UN, such as the war against Iraq; but now, it has started to rely on the world body on many issues," Wu said, adding that the country also began to mend its relations with European and Asian countries.
According to Hernandez, the NAM countries' unity and coordination is not only important but also necessary. NAM countries will have strong power in the UN when they are united because they account for the majority of UN members.
"Our movement is essential to the quest for a new system of international relations," Carlos Lage, Cuba's Vice President, said at the opening session of foreign ministers of the NAM. "We do not align ourselves with war, terrorism, injustice, inequity or double standards. We align ourselves with peace and justice."
No double standards
This is the second time Cuba has held a NAM summit, the first being in 1979. At that time, the main task for the NAM summit was to coordinate internal relations, such as the war between Iran and Iraq. "Now, things have changed," said Hernandez. "Though the Cold War ended, conflicts still exist. Challenges facing developing countries are no longer coming from themselves, but from outside. Outside pressure and defiance force the third world countries to unite."
The 14th summit spoke out against double standards in fighting terrorism. "To some developed countries, there is good terrorism and bad terrorism," Hernandez said. "They divide this on the basis of their own political goals. But to the NAM, terrorism is terrorism, no matter in what manner or form."
According to the ambassador, the United States is still sheltering Luis Posada Carriles, allegedly responsible for a Cuban civilian plane bombing in 1976 that killed 73 civilians, mostly Cubans, including Cuban youth fencing team members who had just won a championship in Central America. Carriles was a Cuban who later became a Venezuelan citizen. "This year is the 30th anniversary of the bombing and Carriles and his partners are still at large in the United States." Hernandez added. Venezuela has asked for his extradition but has been refused.
"In this sense, the United States is not against terrorists, but protects them," Hernandez said.
The summit highlighted views that differ from those of European countries and the United States on many international events. It supports Iran's nuclear development for peace ends and believes all countries have the rights to peacefully utilize nuclear energy. It criticized U.S. Government's preemptive methods in its antiterrorism campaign and the label of "axis of evil" Washington applies to some countries. The summit also appealed for diplomacy to resolve international disputes. According to South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad, the current international situation is more complicated and perilous than it was decades ago. The world structure has changed greatly, and the NAM's multilateralism is of great significance under the current international situation of imbalanced political power and frequent regional conflicts.
"We must fight against a world in which a sovereign nation is denied the use of nuclear energy for peaceful ends while another is aided in the accumulation of a nuclear arsenal," said Lage in commenting on the Iranian nuclear dispute.
A better future
Hernandez is optimistic about the future development of the NAM as he sees the number of participants rising. "This indicates more countries realize the importance of the NAM and give priority to it," he said.
According to him, a platform for developing countries has been formed under the NAM framework. Participants in Havana included NAM members, observers, representatives of various organizations and countries that quit the NAM and now wish to come back.
Argentina used to be a NAM member, but left during the presidency of Carlos Menem. It participated in the Havana conference as a guest, and expressed the desire to rejoin. "You can see from the Havana conference the developing trend of the NAM as more countries would like to join the movement since developing countries can see the importance of the organization in protecting their interests," said Hernandez.
China became a NAM observer in 1992 and from then on has cooperated with the organization. Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi led a delegation to the conference to present China's views on international and regional affairs.
"China, as a participant in, maintainer and constructor of the world system, has natural connections with the NAM. They together create strong forces to promote the world economic and political system in the direction of justice and reasonableness," said Wu of the CIIS.
Western countries, especially European countries, have attended NAM summits as observers. During the 13th NAM summit held in Malaysia in February 2003, the United States also participated as an observer.
"NAM is an organization of third world countries which reflects the interests of the third world countries," said Hernandez, adding that the NAM countries will make efforts to implement the agreements reached at the Havana summit in various stages, mainly in the UN. Meanwhile, the troika of Malaysia, Cuba and Egypt will also contact and discuss with developed countries related issues under the NAM framework through various channels.
According to Hernandez, the NAM was formed during the Cold War and played an important role in world development. Though the Cold War ended, problems still occur, with wars and conflicts still threatening world development. Therefore, the movement has good reason to continue to exist and exert its influence under a new circumstance.
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