New NAM membership leads to lengthy debates

New NAM membership leads to lengthy debates

By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat

CARTAGENA DE INDIAS, Colombia (JP): Minister of Foreign
Affairs Ali Alatas said that the admission of new members to the
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) had "stalled".

Alatas was explaining to journalists the lengthy debates among
states participating in the ongoing XI NAM Summit here regarding
the applications of several countries to the Movement. The issue
reached an impasse in a consultative meeting between heads of
state on Thursday.

There have been questions about whether the Movement should
"review the procedures (used) to admit guests, observers or new
members," Alatas said.

He pointed out that NAM members currently decide to accept
applications for new memberships, as well as guests and
observers, on the basis of consensus.

He recounted how Honduras and Venezuela had their memberships
delayed for a long time due to objections from one country and
how Russia's application for guest status was stalled for some
time as a result of North Korea's opposition.

Several African countries have objected to the application of
Bosnia-Herzegovina on the grounds that the membership of the
former Yugoslavia has to be revoked before it can be admitted.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia, a staunch
supporter of the Bosnian cause, questioned the African states'
stance on the issue. "There is no particular reason why (Bosnia)
should not be admitted," he said.

Several states have also opposed a Costa Rica membership,
citing the Central American country's 1992 decision to move its
embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In addition, North Korea objects to Japan's request for guest
status in the movement.

Earlier this week NAM admitted Turkmenistan as its newest
member.

With the Summit nearing its closing day yesterday, Mahathir
remained hopeful that a breakthrough on the issue would be
achieved. "There's still a few hours left," he remarked.

The consultative meeting was attended by, among others,
Indonesia's President Soeharto, Colombian President Ernesto
Samper Pizano, Mahathir Mohamad, Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr
Mousa and Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati.

Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights Jose Ayala Lasso urged the 113-nation Non-Aligned Movement
to lead in the promotion and protection of human rights.

"A new era for human rights action should be inaugurated based
on the larger participation of members of the Movement," he said.
"The Movement should nurture within it a culture of human
rights."

Lasso explained that NAM member states should begin the
campaign by devising a mechanism to discuss and articulate human
rights issues within the Movement. One of the basic steps should
be the strengthening of national human rights institutions, he
said.

Lasso also urged NAM members to ratify international human
rights convention and follow them up with action.

"Practical means might be devised to implement the enjoyment
of human rights, thus transforming good intentions into good
deeds," he said. "It is imperative to move from the abstract to
the tangible, to translate the norms and principals into concrete
realities."

Hopefully, he said, "the next century will find humankind
better equipped to prevent and correct the numerous abuses which
today continue to threaten the dignity and well-being of
individuals around the globe."

Lasso further noted the negative effects of debt burdens on
development and human rights. He lamented that while developing
countries were saddled with such burdens, massive amounts of
funds were being allocated for military spending.

President Fidel Castro of Cuba made similar comments on the
issue and called for a more noble use for resources currently
committed to arms purchases.

"The United States Congress approves higher military budgets
than requested by the government. What are those weapons for?" he
asked.

The Summit was scheduled to close on Friday morning with the
adoption of a final document expressing NAM's views and concerns
on wide range of international issues such as the restructuring
of the UN, drug trafficking, Third World debt, environmental
preservation and nuclear disarmament.

However, several prominent leaders will not be present at the
ceremony due to their early departures to attend to domestic
matters.