NAM officials call for additional meeting<\/p>\n
By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): Ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) will
\ncap off their three-day gathering on Thursday with an additional
\nmeeting to plot a common view on such critical issues as nuclear
\nnon-proliferation and reform of the United Nations Security
\nCouncil.<\/p>\n
The decision to hold an extra-ordinary meeting came at the
\nclosing session of NAM's two-day senior officials meeting which
\nended on late Saturday night.<\/p>\n
\"The aim is to prepare the possibility of a common position
\nfor the Non-Aligned Movement in the debates or negotiations now
\ntaking place in the UN,\" NAM's chief executive assistant, Nana
\nSutresna, said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas
\nreasserted the relevance of NAM Ministers in discussing such
\nissues as the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).<\/p>\n
\"At least we have an exchange of views that can be very
\nuseful to explain the intricacies of what is being discussed.
\nThat is the main purpose,\" Alatas said after arriving here
\nyesterday from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Some 60 ministers from 114 delegations will participate in
\nthe Ministerial Meeting of NAM's Coordinating Bureau which begins
\ntomorrow at the Horison Hotel in Bandung, West Java, about 180-
\nkilometers south of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The ministerial meeting is being held in preparation for
\nOctober's NAM Summit in Cartagena, where Indonesia will hand over
\nits chairmanship to host Colombia.<\/p>\n
However, due to the urgency of certain issues, and with the
\n50th anniversary celebrations of the UN beginning in September,
\nthe ministerial meeting is also being seen as a momentous
\noccasion for NAM to come together and provide its input.<\/p>\n
For this purpose, four working papers have been prepared for
\ndiscussion at the extra-ordinary meeting -- a solemn declaration
\non the 50th anniversary of the UN, the agenda for development,
\nreform of the UN Security Council, particularly on veto rights,
\nand nuclear non-proliferation.<\/p>\n
The two latter issues are expected to be the most contentious.<\/p>\n
A month-long review of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is
\nnow taking place in New York, where an indefinite extension of
\nthe treaty is being discussed.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and a number of other NAM countries have expressed
\ntheir reluctance in accepting an indefinite extension without a
\ncommitment from other nuclear weapon owning countries to abolish
\ntheir nuclear arsenals.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Alatas acknowledged the diverging opinions held
\nby NAM members on the NPT and of the potential difficulties in
\nachieving a common position.<\/p>\n
\"This is a treaty. Sovereign countries are members of that
\ntreaty and therefore may or may not already have a position on
\nwhat they will do with regard to the review and extension,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The reform of the UN Security Council has been a much debated
\ntopic in the past few years. Developing countries argue that
\nreforms must be made to better represent them on the council.<\/p>\n
A particularly contentious point is the question of exclusive
\nveto rights.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to be able to look at certain aspects that have been
\ndiscussed in New York and see how far it can go,\" Alatas said in
\nreference to the working paper on Security Council reform
\nprepared by NAM's coordinating bureau in New York.<\/p>\n
Senior officials on Saturday also agreed to refer the
\nrequests from Macedonia and the Russian federation for guest
\nstatus along with Turkmenistan's application for membership for
\nfurther consultation.<\/p>\n
\"Because the (application) letter was only received one or
\ntwo days ago, a few delegates felt they should report the matter
\nto their respective capitals,\" Nana said of Turkmenistan's
\nrequest for membership.<\/p>\n
On Friday, senior officials instated the east-African state of
\nEritrea as the next newest member of NAM, raising the membership
\nto 112.<\/p>\n
Separately on Saturday, Burundi's permanent representative to
\nthe UN, Tharcisse Ntakibirora, called on NAM to help his troubled
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Ntakibirora asked NAM for observers and personnel to help
\ndevelop Burundi's infrastructure.<\/p>",
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