NAM Ministerial Conference Begins in Indonesia

Bali, Indonesia, May 23. -The 16th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement began Monday with a meeting of top officials to discuss documents that will be submitted to a vote by foreign ministers in the coming days.

The meeting at the Grand Hyatt Hotel started with a report from the presidency of the Bureau of Coordination, headed by Egypt, which prepared the summit.

The ministerial summits are traditionally held every 18 months after summit meetings of the NAM heads of state and government.

Closed-door sessions are being held the committees of Political and Economic Affairs to discuss aspects of the draft final declaration.

Chapter I of that declaration expresses the NAM position on various international matters, including the promotion and preservation of multilateralism, the peaceful resolution of controversy, and the non-use of force or threat of force.

It also refers to the priority the NAM gives to reforming the United Nations so that it will be more receptive and efficient in its support for developing countries.

Chapter II deals with regional and sub-regional matters, including the Middle East peace process and the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel, including East Jerusalem; and other problems of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The topics of development, human and social rights are included in the third chapter of the document, which refers to the current international economic and financial crisis, south-south cooperation, food security and other issues. (Prensa Latina)