NAM agrees to admit Eritrea as new member
NAM agrees to admit Eritrea as new member
By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat
BANDUNG (JP): Senior officials of the Non-Aligned Movement agreed yesterday to admit the newly independent African state of Eritrea into the organization.
"Eritrea has been officially instated as the next newest member," said NAM's chief executive assistant Nana Sutresna at the end of the first day of NAM's senior official meeting. "So now the total number of members is 112."
The two-day meeting is held in preparation for Tuesday's Ministerial Meeting of NAM's Coordinating Bureau which will be attended by no less than 60 ministers.
Eritrea was extended a special invitation to the three-day ministerial meeting at the Horison Hotel in Bandung, West Java, located 180-kilometers south of Jakarta. The Eritrean delegation will be lead by Foreign Minister Petros Solomon.
Eritrea, a region along the Red Sea in northeast Africa became a new nation in 1993. Located in the Horn of Africa, it has a population of more than three million. The new nation gained independence after battling Ethiopia for some 30 years, and subsequently joined the United Nations.
According to Nana, the agenda has been discussed and is ready to be presented to the Ministers.
A particular agenda item which was slightly modified was the topic on the exchange of views on the international situation. A list of issues to be discussed was originally proposed, however after a long debate the officials agreed not to define the issues beforehand and allow the ministers to engage in an open debate.
It will be up to Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, as chairman of the meeting, to begin with the topic of his choosing.
The working group which is preparing the final communique for the Ministerial Meeting will begin its informal deliberation today.
Meanwhile, the city of Bandung is gearing up for the festivities of the 40th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference and the NAM Ministerial Meeting, with a marked presence of security evident throughout the city.
President Soeharto and United Nations Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali will attend the commemoration of the Asia- Africa Conference at the Merdeka Building on Monday.
There was a strong presence of security at the airport and train station as delegates for the senior officials meeting arrived on Thursday evening. More than 15 motorcycled police units and several police vehicles were seen at Bandung train station to accompany them.
Nearly 5,000 security personnel are on duty for the busy week and West Java police chief Maj. Gen. Soebandy has warned that anyone attempting to disrupt the proceedings will be firmly dealt with.
Security is expected to tighten as Boutros Ghali and NAM ministers arrive tomorrow.
The Merdeka building, site of the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference, has undergone a slight facelift.
The caretaker of the building, Ibe Yusuf, told The Jakarta Post that minor renovations had been done and that the rooms had been repainted.
An additional six air-conditioners have been installed in the century old building, bringing the total to 26.
Inside, the same table and chairs used 40 years ago were being laid out in the original setting and even the old crystal chandeliers were being rehung.
The public relations manager of the Horison hotel, Sri Nilawati, told the Post that seven meeting rooms and the hotel's convention center will be used for the ministerial meeting.
She said that 160 rooms at the hotel had been booked for the delegates staying there.
About 500 rooms at Bandung's seven top hotels have been booked for the delegates.