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Maturity achieved by NAM key to
success of 14th Summit
• Affirms Cuban First Vice
President Raúl Castro on
closing the high-level conference
BY NIDIA DIAZ AND
ELSA CLARO —Granma International
staff writers—
THE 14th Non-Aligned Movement Summit was closed this
Sunday at 1:05 am and, as Cuban First Vice President
Raúl Castro stated in his final comments, its
results were fruit of the collective work of its
participants and an example of the maturity the NAM
has achieved during its 45 years of existence.
 “We
are convinced,” he said, “that the documents and
decisions adopted here will serve in the months and
years to come for the Movement to be capable of a
decisive influence in the discussion and solution of
the principal challenges posed to humanity and, in
particular, to the peoples of the South.
In his words he expressed thanks for the active
participation and valuable contributions of the high
number of heads of state and government and other
leaders of the nations of the Movement that made the
positive results achieved possible.
At the same time, on behalf of the Cuban people and
government and, very especially, President Fidel
Castro, he offered those present his most sincere
gratitude for their support and valuable
contribution to its successful outcome.
DOCUMENTS APPROVED
Raúl explained during the final session that
“important documents and initiatives were approved,
including the reaffirmation of the positions of the
Non-Aligned Movement countries on the principal
political, economic and social issues of our time
and the most significant regional and sub-regional
problems for our countries.”
Approval was also given to the Havana Declaration
that contains the aims and principles and role of
the NAM in the present international juncture, and
which, the Cuban leader added, “offers a framework
of solid action based on the regulations that must
guide international relations in order to achieve a
more just and equitable world.”
NAM solidarity with the cause of the Palestinian
people was another of the resolutions approved at a
time when, as Raúl said, that people “is more in
need of it than at any other time given the
difficult conditions of constant aggression in which
they are living.”
In their totality, he noted, “the positions and
initiatives considered by the Summit confirm the
identity, raison d’être and validity of the
Non-Aligned Movement and will allow us to take a
step forward in what constitutes our common
objective and undertaking: its revitalization in
such a way that it can fulfill its role in
international relations derived not only from its
current membership of 118 nations, but of our
history of struggle in favor of the most just
causes.”
During his brief closing speech the Cuban vice
president referred to the international situation
and the enormous challenges that confront the
nations of the Third World and that are related to
the use of force, threats, coercion and violation of
the principles of international law. In a similar
way, underdevelopment, poverty, marginalization,
hunger and illiteracy, the proliferation of
preventable diseases, environmental deterioration
and the squandering of the planet’s resources are
constants that are degrading the life of our
peoples.
REGIONAL GROUPS SPEAK
The final segment of this second and last working
day of the leaders’ summit began with speeches from
representatives of regional groups. The first to
take the floor was Robert Mugabe, president of
Zimbabwe who, in the name of Africa, thanked the
Cuban people and government for their hospitality
and organization of the event.
He expressed the absolute confidence of the African
nations in Cuba’s leadership of the Movement and
reiterated his conviction that when this troika is
ended and we arrive in Egypt, the next summit venue,
we will have recovered the role that the Movement
had one day in international relations and the much
desired revitalization will be a fact.
We all consider, said Mugabe, that this Summit has
been one of the best, while asking for the
transmission of “our extremely warm message to
brother Fidel for his prompt recovery.”
The president of the Maldives spoke in the name of
Asia and reiterated former comments in terms of the
success of the Summit and the confidence of his
regional group in the new presidency of the
Movement, convinced that the road undertaken by the
Malaysia will be continued.
“We have more than enough reasons to feel hopeful of
the Movement’s future,” he added, while asking for
Fidel to be informed of “how much we have missed
him.”
Latin America and the Caribbean spoke in the voice
of Ralph Goncalves, president of Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, who recalled that the Cuban
Revolution is already 47 years old and the NAM 45.
In that context, he said, “we are confident that in
the next three years the experience of both in terms
of the revitalization and consolidation of the
grouping will be combined.”
In his view Cuba and the troika – Malaysia, Cuba and
Egypt – cannot work on alone, that they need the
support of everyone to take their mandate to a happy
end.
The NAM Summit in Havana was made up of 118 nations
– with the addition of Haiti and Saint Kitts and
Nevis – 56 of which were represented 56 heads of
state and government and by 90 foreign ministers.
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