NAM pledges to combat terrorism in all its forms

V Mohan Narayan

Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt), Jul 16 (PTI) Taking India's
concern on board, NAM countries on Thursday vowed to combat
terrorism in all its forms and manifestations while making it
clear that terror should not be associated with any religion,
nationality, civilisation or ethnic group.

The issue of terrorism figured prominently in the 15th
NAM Declaration which pushed for early finalisation of the
draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism
mooted by India at the United Nations.

The 118-member grouping pledged to strengthen NAM
solidarity in combating terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations, wherever and by whomsoever committed, in
accordance with the principles of the UN Charter,
international law and relevant international conventions.

The Sharm El-Sheikh Summit Declaration stressed that
terrorism should not be associated with any religion,
nationality, civilisation or ethnic group and that further
progress was required taking into account the positions and
views of NAM members on issues like formulating a joint
organised response of the international community to terrorism
in all its forms and manifestations.

The document takes on board the call made by Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh to NAM countries that it was time they
agreed on a Comprehensive Convention on International
Terrorism.

In his forthright speech at the plenary session of
two-day summit, Singh made it clear that terrorists and those
who aid and abet them must be brought to justice. Though he
did not name Pakistan, it was clear from Singh's remarks who
it was aimed at.

Singh said terror infrastructure must be dismantled
and there should be no safe havens for terrorists because they
do not represent any cause, group or religion.

The declaration said the NAM countries stood together
with China and the Group of 77 countries to press for
fundamental reform of the international economic and financial
systems and architecture to address its flaws which have come
into spotlight in the wake of the global financial crisis.

"We commit further to enhance the voice and
participation of developing countries in international
decision making and norm setting, including in international
financial institutions," it said.

The document said in all such steps taken to respond
to the crisis, it must be ensured they were not taken at the
expense of developing countries.

On the expansion of the Security Council, the declaration
sought the "expeditious" reform of the top UN body.

"The expeditious reform of the Security Council through
through its expansion and improvement of its working methods
should continue to be a priority for NAM taking duly into
consideration the views of all NAM members state," it said.

On sanctions imposed on some NAM countries, the
declaration rejected them as "unilateral" which also was in
contradiction with international law and the purposes and
principles of the UN Charter.

The declaration sought to ensure food security for all
the member states of the NAM and promised to work with the UN
and its agencies to decisively deal with the short, medium and
long term actions needed, including the need to address trade
and agricultural related aspects within the current
negotiations in the Doha round.

On the issue of climate change, it vowed to strengthen
the political momentum in preparation for the Copenhagen
conference in December in a manner that reflected the views of
the NAM countries with regard to issues like mitigation,
adaptation, finance, technology transfer, capacity building
and shared vision.

To shape a comprehensive UN energy agenda, the document
said the NAM countries would work for the creation of an
effective mechanism to transfer advanced energy technologies
to developing nations with the aim of achieving the Millennium
Development Goals and dealing effectively with the challenge
of climate change.

On disarmament and international security, the NAM
declaration said that member nations will continue to promote
them on the basis of "equal and undiminished" security for
all, bearing in mind that total and complete nuclear
disarmament remains the "only" route to establish a world free
from nuclear weapons.

It also noted that NAM members had taken into
consideration the issue of nuclear non-proliferation in all
its aspects and the "inalienable right" of all states to the
peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

"We will thus engage constructively with concrete
actions towards the implementation of the unequivocal
undertaking by the nuclear weapon states, as well as the
recent statements made by leaders of some nuclear weapons
states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals and work towards
realising a world free of nuclear weapons...," it said.

On the issue of self-determination, it said NAM nations
will continue to uphold the fundamental and inalienable right
of all peoples including all non-self governing territories to
guarantee universal respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms.

On the situation in the Middle East, it said that the
NAM nations firmly supported the inalienable rights of the
Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment
of their independent, contiguous and visible State of
Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The declaration stated the NAM's demand to Israel to
comply with relevant Security Council Resolutions and withdraw
fully from the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of June 4,
1967 and to withdraw fully from the remaining Lebanese
occupied land.

Taking note of the outbreak of pandemics, including the
outbreak of H1N1 in parts of the world, the declaration called
for maximising the support for NAM countries from the World
Health Organisation and other agencies in building their
response capacity to confront the diseases.

The declaration said NAM nations will continue to
promote the full implementation of all commitments by the
international community to address the special needs of
Africa.

It also called for the full implementation of the
outcomes of major UN conferences and summits in the economic
and social fields and the internationally agreed development
goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.

The NAM declaration also backed enhancing dialogue
among civilisations and religions so as to reduce
confrontation, enhance dialogue, promote respect for diversity
based on justice, fraternity and equality. PTI VMN
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