Afghan FM In Tehran For NAM Meet

Tehran, Aug 28, IRNA – Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul arrived in Tehran late on Monday to attend the foreign ministers meeting of Non-Aligned movement. Upon arrival at Imam Khomeini Airport, he said that interaction among the NAM member states will help promote security in the region. Accompanied by the Foreign Ministry spokesman, Janan Musazai, he added that the summit is of special significance to his country and Afghanistan as one of the founders of the world body considers presence in it important. Referring to Iran-Afghanistan excellent ties in the recent years, he noted, “We are happy to visit Iran once again and Iran has always been our friendly and brotherly country.” Rasoul further noted that presence in the 16th summit is an effort in line with ensuring peace and security in the region. He hoped that talks on Iran-Afghanistan ties will be held on the sidelines of the event. Afghan President Hamed Karzai will arrive in Tehran late on Wednesday to take part in Summit of Leaders. NAM was founded in Belgrade in 1961 by then Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito, Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser, Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah, and Indonesian president Sukarno, all legends of the national liberation movement, with solid anti-imperial credentials, who advocated a middle course for the developing world between the western and eastern blocs in the Cold War./end