Vietnam is ready to join efforts with the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to achieve its target, said Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Luong Minh.

Deputy FM Minh made the affirmation on Sept. 6 when he led the Vietnamese delegation to the ongoing 50 th anniversary meeting of NAM in Belgrade , Serbia .

In his speech delivered at the event, the Vietnamese Deputy FM said 50 years ago, when world peace was under constant and serious threats from the Cold War and many countries were still under the domination of colonialism and imperialism, the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement opened a new chapter in the history of the world, in which the future of humankind would no longer be decided only on the position of strength.
“Born out of the burning desire of threatened, oppressed and impoverished peoples for the relaxation of world’s tensions, freedom, equality and peaceful cooperation, during the past half of a century, the Non-Aligned Movement has made significant contributions to the prevention of wars, especially a nuclear war, and the promotion of disarmament, especially nuclear disarmament, saving mankind from the danger of total annihilation,” Deputy FM Minh said.

“The movement has played an important role in supporting and inspiring the struggle of peoples in all continents for independence and liberation and their right to self-determination. It has played a leading role in striving for the establishment of a new international economic order and a new information order and for peaceful development cooperation between and among countries of different political systems.

“In its 50 years of existence, the struggle of the movement has helped bring about the demise in Africa, Asia and Latin America of most fascist and outdated regimes such as that of apartheid. Through ups and downs, now with 120 members, accounting for two thirds of the United Nations membership and representing more than half of the world’s population, together with the Group of 77, the Non-Aligned Movement has become an indispensable political platform representing and defending the legitimate interests of developing countries at almost every multilateral forum.

“On the occasion of the celebration, the movement is facing daunting challenges. While having to deal with the dangers of terrorism, transnational organised crimes, global problems such as climate change, food and energy insecurity, the impacts of the global financial and economic crisis and other problems of their own due to their low level of development such as poverty and the lack of education, many members of the movement are becoming victims of aggression, intervention and imposition and coercive measures in violation of their independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Against such a background, as it moves forward to a new chapter of its development, the movement should focus its work on enhancing its role and dynamism in addressing global challenges, promoting multilateralism and the democratisation of international relations.

“In doing this, the movement should sustain and consolidate the process of strengthening and revitalising itself on the basis of the principles and objectives that have guided and helped gather strength for the movement – respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and peaceful co-existence between countries of different political regimes. The movement’s unwavering commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention, and post-conflict peace-building should be further strengthened.

“In this regard, Vietnam supports all efforts aimed at promoting dialogues and peaceful solutions to the present tensions in North Africa and the Middle East . In defending the legitimate interests of its members, the movement should further strengthen solidarity by adopting more cohesive positions on the issues of common interest, such as disarmament, development and human rights.

“While continuing to promote negotiations in the Doha round, and the fight against protectionism, we should strive towards a strengthened global partnership for development based on the recognition of national leadership and ownership of development strategies, and continue to work toward the achievement of a substantive and comprehensive reform of the United Nations and the international economic and financial system and architecture to better enable these bodies to respond to and prevent financial and economic crises, effectively promote development and serve the needs of member states, particularly developing countries.

“The spirit of the movement’s first summit has been reborn at this meeting,” Deputy FM Minh concluded. “However, the continued relevance and validity of NAM will depend, in a large measure, on the solidarity and cohesion among its members.

“As a staunch member committed to the principles of the movement and its objective, Vietnam stands ready to join the movement’s efforts towards those ends.”/.