NAM/FMM/GA58/Declaration
26 September 2003
DECLARATION
OF
THE MEETING OF THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
OF THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT
AT THE 58TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS
NEW YORK, 26 SEPTEMBER 2003
1.
We,
the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) met in New
York on 26 September 2003 on the occasion of the 58th Session of the General
Assembly of the United Nations. We exchanged views on the items of the agenda of
the General Assembly that are of vital importance to the Movement as well as
other developments in the international arena that constitute important
challenges to the Movement.
2.
We reiterate our
commitment to the principles, objectives and decisions of the Movement, as
reaffirmed at the XIII Conference of Heads of State or Government of the
Non-Aligned Movement held in Kuala Lumpur from 24 to 25 February 2003. The
positions and decisions of the Movement adopted in Kuala Lumpur would constitute
the foundation for the Movement's contribution at the 58th Session of
the General Assembly and its work in the future.
3.
We reiterate the need to continue with the reform process of the United
Nations in order to make it more effective in pursuing the principles and
purposes enshrined in its Charter. In this connection, we express the
Movement’s readiness to continue to participate actively in the process of
strengthening, restructuring, reform and revitalising the United Nations system,
in particular its major organs.
4.
We take note of the efforts of the Coordinating Bureau in establishing
the Working Group on the Plan of Action on the Role of NAM to formulate a Plan
of Action in fulfillment of the request by our leaders as enumerated in
paragraph 19 of the Final Document of the XIII Conference of Heads of State or
Government of the Non-Aligned Countries, held in Kuala Lumpur from 20 to 25
February 2003. We request the
Coordinating Bureau to continue its deliberation on the Plan of Action on the
basis of the concrete measures contained in the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on
Continuing the Revitalisation of the Non-Aligned Movement and decide to further
consider the matter at our next Ministerial Meeting.
5.
We welcome the efforts undertaken by the Coordinating Bureau to revive
the relevant NAM mechanisms and are convinced that they would greatly contribute
towards further enhancing the overall achievement of the goals and objectives of
the Movement. We encourage the Coordinating Bureau to continue to identify and
implement other measures and modalities in our on-going efforts to further
revitalise the Movement.
6.
We welcome the strengthening of coordination among Non-Aligned countries
in the Hague and Vienna, as well as the continued coordination in
Geneva. We are convinced that these mechanisms would contribute to the unity and
further increase the effectiveness of the Movement in the multilateral fora.
We emphasise the need for these mechanisms and the Coordinating Bureau in
New York, in its capacity as the focal point for coordination, to continue to
closely coordinate their activities in addressing the concerns of the Movement.
We reiterate the importance of strengthening the coordination and cooperation
between the NAM and the G77 through the Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) in
the promotion and defense of the common interest of the developing countries.
In this regard, we encourage the JCC to meet on a regular basis, as
necessary.
7.
We reiterate the importance of addressing international challenges and
problems by strictly abiding to the United Nations Charter and the principles of
international law. In this regard, we stress the vital role of the United
Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security and the
strengthening of international co-operation. We also reiterate our firm
condemnation of all unilateral military actions including those made without
proper authorisation from the United Nations Security Council, as well as of
threats of military action against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and
independence of Member States of the Movement which constitute acts of
aggression and blatant violations of the principle of non-intervention and
non-interference.
8.
We
express our rejection of
unilateralism, which is increasingly leading to the erosion and violation
of international law, to the use and threat of use of force and to pressure
and coercion by certain countries as a means to achieving their policy
objectives. In this connection, we
stress our commitment to multilateralism.
9.
We remain firmly opposed to evaluations, certifications and other
coercive unilateral measures as a means of exerting pressure on Non-Aligned
Countries and other developing countries, which are contrary to international
law, international humanitarian law, the United Nations Charter and the norms
and principles governing peaceful relations among States and thus are to be
further decried by the international community. We reiterate our rejection of
the increasing trend in this direction. We also strongly object to the
extra-territorial nature of those measures, which, in addition, threaten the
sovereignty of States and call on States applying unilateral coercive measures
to put an immediate end to those measures.
10.
We reaffirm and reiterate the long-standing principled positions of the
Movement on disarmament and international security enshrined in the decisions
adopted by the XIII Conference of Heads of State or Government of the
Non-Aligned Countries in Kuala Lumpur as well as other previous Ministerial
Conferences and Summits of the Movement.
11.
We reiterate our principled positions on nuclear disarmament and the
related issue of nuclear non-proliferation. We also reiterate our deep concern
over the slow pace of progress towards nuclear disarmament which remains our
highest priority. We also express our concern at the lack of progress by the
Nuclear Weapon States to accomplish the elimination of their nuclear arsenals
leading to nuclear disarmament. We
stress our concern at the threat to humanity derived from the continued
existence of nuclear weapons and of their possible use or threat of use. We
underscore the need to accomplish the total elimination of nuclear weapons and
emphasize, in this regard, the urgent need to commence negotiations without
delay.
12.
We
welcome the increased cooperation between the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and encourage Iran to continue this
cooperation. We regret that the divergent views on this issue could not be
reconciled in a consensus resolution at the recent meeting of the IAEA Board of
Governors held in Vienna from 8 to 12 September 2003. We also affirm the NAM
statement vis-a-vis the interpretation of different paragraphs of the resolution
and in particular on paragraph 4, NAM believes that by putting the deadline at
the end of October 2003, it would tie the Agency's hands by this date. The Board
resolution should not be intended to forestall or hinder the process before or
after 2003. We invite all States to assist the Director-General of the IAEA to
establish a framework of cooperation, in consultation with Iran, to bring all
outstanding issues to a closure. We, however, believe that the process should
lead to an appropriate and precise conclusion as soon as possible. We call on
the NAM Members in Vienna to continue coordinating their efforts and position,
and pursue the issue in this context.
13.
We express our strong concern at the growing resort to unilateralism and
unilaterally imposed prescriptions and in this context strongly underline and
affirm that multilateralism and multilaterally agreed solutions, in accordance
with the United Nations Charter, provide the only sustainable method of
addressing disarmament and international security issues. In this regard, we
welcome the adoption of resolution 57/63 by the General Assembly on the
“Promotion of Multilateralism in the Area of Disarmament and
Non-Proliferation”.
14.
We express our satisfaction with the consensus among states on measures
to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. We welcome the
adoption by consensus of the General Assembly resolution 57/83 entitled
“Measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction”
and underline the need for this threat to humanity to be addressed within the
United Nations framework and through international cooperation. While stressing
that the most effective way of preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons of
mass destruction is through the total elimination of such weapons, we emphasize
that progress is urgently needed in the area of disarmament and
non-proliferation in order to help maintain international peace and security and
to contribute to global efforts against terrorism. We call upon all member
states to support international efforts to prevent terrorists from acquiring
weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery.
We urge all member states to take and strengthen national measures, as
appropriate, to prevent terrorist from acquiring weapons of mass destruction,
their means of delivery and materials and technologies related to their
manufacture.
15.
We recognize the importance of the recent First Biennial Meeting of
States to Consider the Implementation of the 2001 UN Programme of Action to
Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons
in All Its Aspects, held in New York from 7 to 11 July 2003 and call upon the
international community to take appropriate measures for the implementation of
the Programme of Action.
16.
We the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use,
Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their
Destruction, welcome the convening of the Fifth Meeting of State Parties to the
Convention in Bangkok, Thailand from 15 to 19 September 2003. We also call upon
the international community to provide the necessary assistance to mine affected
countries to ensure their access to material equipment, technology and financial
resources for mine clearance and increased humanitarian assistance for victims
of landmines.
17.
We reaffirm our principled position concerning terrorism as
contained in paragraphs 103 to 119 of the Final Document of the XIII
Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Countries held in
Kuala Lumpur in 2003.
18.
We
reiterate that terrorism cannot be attributed to religion, nationality, or
civilisation.
19.
We
reaffirm that criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror
in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for whatever
purposes, wherever and by whomever committed are, in any circumstance,
unjustifiable, whatever the considerations or factors that may be invoked to
justify them.
20.
We
reject recent attempts to equate the legitimate struggle of peoples under
colonial or alien domination and foreign occupation, for self-determination and
national liberation with terrorism in order to prolong occupation and oppression
of the innocent people with impunity.
21.
We
unequivocally condemn international terrorism as a criminal act. We note that
terrorism endangers the territorial integrity, as well as national and
international security. Such acts also violate human rights, in particular the
right to life, destroys the physical and economic infrastructure, and attempts
to de-stabilise legitimately constituted governments. We express our resolve to
take speedy and effective measures to eliminate international terrorism
including the need to address the underlying causes of terrorism and urge all
States to fulfil their obligations under international law, including
prosecuting or, where appropriate, extraditing the perpetrators of such acts and
preventing the organisation, instigation and the financing of terrorism against
other States from within or outside their territories or by organizations based
in their territories. We reaffirm our support for General Assembly Resolution
46/51 of 27 January, 1992 which unequivocally condemned as criminal and
unjustifiable all acts, methods and practices of terrorism wherever and by
whomever committed and called upon all States to fulfil their obligations under
international law and international humanitarian law to refrain from organising,
instigating, assisting or participating in terrorist acts in other States, or
acquiescing in or encouraging activities within their territory towards the
commissioning of such acts.
22.
We
reiterate that all States are under the obligation pursuant to the purposes and
principles and other provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and other
relevant international instruments, codes of conduct and other rules of
international law and Security Council and General Assembly resolutions to
refrain from organising, assisting or participating in terrorist acts in the
territories of other States or acquiescing in or encouraging activities within
their territories directed towards the commission of such acts, including
allowing the use of national territories and territories under their
jurisdiction for planning and training or financing for that purpose. We
solemnly reaffirm the Movement’s unequivocal condemnation of any political,
diplomatic, moral or material support for terrorism. In this context, we
emphasise that States should ensure, in conformity with international law, that
refugee status is not abused by the perpetrators, organisers or facilitators of
terrorist acts and that claims of political motivation are not recognised as
grounds for refusing requests for the extradition of alleged terrorists. We also
encourage all States to consider to accede to and implement existing
international conventions against terrorism.
23.
We welcome the adoption by the General Assembly of Resolution 57/337 of 3
July 2003 on the “Prevention of Armed Conflict” as a manifestation by the
international community to commit itself to the culture of prevention of armed
conflict.
24.
We welcome Security Council Resolution 1506 (2003) of 12 September 2003,
by which the sanctions imposed on Libya was permanently lifted and commend the
constructive efforts that Libya undertook in order to reach this positive
result. We reiterate our demand for
the lifting of all unilateral sanctions imposed against Libya as a means of
political coercion in contravention of United Nations Resolutions, in particular
the General Assembly Resolution 57/5 of 16 October 2002 and acknowledge
Libya’s right for compensation for human and material damages caused by these
sanctions.
25.
We reiterate our unwavering support for the realisation of the
inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to national
independence and the exercise of sovereignty in their State, Palestine, with
East Jerusalem as its capital. We
express our commitment to a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict and our support for the two State solution, based on the 1967 line. We
reiterate our determination to follow-up with the implementation of the XIII NAM
Summit statement on Palestine, including within the UN system.
26.
We reaffirm the Movement’s demand that Israel comply with Security
Council Resolution 497 (1981) and withdraw from the occupied Syrian Golan to the
lines of 4 June 1967, in implementation of Security Council Resolutions 242 and
338, and that Israel adheres to the Madrid Terms of Reference based on the
principle of land for peace to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the
Middle East. We also call for an
end to the continuing Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty and for the
release of all Lebanese detained in Israel.
27.
While reiterating NAM’s principled position regarding the war against
Iraq, we call for the respect of the independence, sovereignty, security,
territorial integrity and stability of Iraq and its neighbouring countries.
We express our deep concern about the security situation prevailing in
Iraq which has become a destabilizing factor for Iraq and the entire region, as
well as a source of an increased suffering for the Iraqi people.
We will exert our utmost efforts, on the basis of the principles and
purposes enshrined in the United Nations Charter to assist the Iraqi people in
ending the foreign occupation, restoring the sovereignty and independence of
Iraq and retaining their control over their rights, land, and economic,
political and security institutions.
28.
We stress that the UN should be the central entity in the recovery and
reconstruction efforts in Iraq. In
this regard, we recall Security Council Resolution 1500 (2003) of 14 August
2003, which established the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)
and welcomed the establishment of the Governing Council of Iraq on 13 July 2003
as an important step towards the restoration of the sovereignty of Iraq.
We call upon the Iraqi interim Governing Council to set out a clear
timetable, towards drafting a constitution and holding elections, which will
lead to the formation of a sovereign and internationally recognised Iraqi
government that will assume its full responsibilities.
29.
We strongly condemn the grave violation of human rights and the killing
of Kuwaiti and other third country nationals by the former Iraqi government, in
disregard of the provisions of international law and international humanitarian
law. We call for the bringing to
justice those in the former Iraqi government responsible for committing such
crimes.
30.
We strongly condemn the attack on the United Nations Headquarters in
Iraq, which cost the lives of civilians and UN personnel including the Special
Representative of the Secretary General to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.
In this regard, we welcome the adoption of Security Council Resolution
1502 (2003) of 26 August 2003 aimed at protecting humanitarian personnel, the
United Nations and its associated personnel against all forms of violence. We
also condemn the terrorist attack against the Jordanian Embassy in Baghdad.
31.
We reaffirm the commitment of
our leaders at the XIII Conference of Heads of State or Government of the
Non-Aligned Movement in Kuala Lumpur to the further strengthening of South-South
Cooperation and underline the importance of the implementation of the outcome of
the South Summit held in Havana from 10 to 14 April 2000.
We welcome the initiative taken by the Asian-African Sub Regional
Organisations Conference (AASROC) in Bandung from 29 to 30 July 2003 to
establish a new Strategic Partnership based on the coordination of activities
among the secretariats of sub-regional organizations.
We welcome the convening of the High Level Conference on South-South
Cooperation in Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco to be held from 16 to 19 December
2003 and take note of the offer made by Nigeria to the G77, to host the South
Summit in 2005.
32.
We reiterate our continued
support for the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development
(NEPAD) and welcome the decision of the African Union (AU) at the 2nd
Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the
African Union held in Maputo from 10 to 12 July 2003, which mandated the
integration of NEPAD into the AU structures and processes. We invite the
international community to honour and renew their strong support, as reflected
in the adoption of General Assembly Resolutions 57/2 and 57/7 of 16 September
and 4 November 2002 respectively. We welcome the establishment of the
Office of the Special Advisor on Africa, with the responsibilities to coordinate
the United Nations support to Africa, guide reporting on Africa and coordinate
global advocacy in support of NEPAD and look forward to the allocation of
adequate resources to this office in order for it to fulfill its expanded
mandate.
33.
We reaffirm the importance of
the full implementation of all internationally agreed development goals,
including those contained in the Millennium Declaration.
We welcome the adoption of General Assembly Resolution 57/270B of 23 June
2003 on the integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the
outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the
economic and social fields. We urge
the international community, especially the developed countries to ensure
effective and durable implementation of the commitments as reflected in the
specific outcomes of the summits and conferences within their mandates.
34.
We call for measures to ensure that developing countries participate in
and benefit from globalisation, in particular through their full and effective
participation in the processes of decision-making on world economic problems. We
reiterate the Movement's call for the reform of the Bretton Woods Institutions,
in order to guarantee democracy and transparency in the decision-making process
in these institutions. In this regard, we reiterate the need for a stable,
adequately financed international financial system that assists developing
economies to respond adequately to the challenges of development.
35.
We call for the effective implementation of the Brussels Programme of
Action and urge all stakeholders to meet their obligations to help the least
developed countries to reduce their poverty and promote sustainable development
through, inter-alia, increased ODA, FDI, debt relief and market access.
36.
We welcome the International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked and
Transit Developing Countries and Donor Countries and International Financial and
Development Institutions on Transit Transport Cooperation held in Almaty from 28
to 29 August 2003. We express our strong support for the implementation of the
Almaty Programme of Action aimed at addressing the special needs of landlocked
developing countries and establishing a new global framework for action for
developing efficient transit transport systems in landlocked and transit
developing countries, taking into account the interests of both landlocked and
transit developing countries.
37.
We pledge our continued support of the Barbados Programme of Action to
address the special needs for Small Islands Developing States and welcome the
preparations being undertaken for the International Meeting Small Islands
Developing States to be held next year in Mauritius. We invite all Member States
to participate, and the international donor community to support the full and
effective participation of Small Islands Developing States, in the comprehensive
review of the Barbados Programme of Action for Small Islands Developing States
in Mauritius in 2004.
38.
We underscore the importance of revitalising international co-operation
and multilateral negotiations with a North-South or development orientation. In
this context, we welcome the convening of the inaugural Enlarged Dialogue
Meeting between the G8 leaders and leaders of some developing countries,
including the Chair of NAM, held in Evian, France on 1 June 2003.
We hope that the convening of such a dialogue would continue and be
further enlarged and strengthened so as to contribute effectively towards
attaining all internationally agreed development goals.
39.
We attach importance to the better understanding by the developed
countries of the need for international actions such as aid on concessional
terms, measures to counter the instability and weakness of commodity markets,
preferential tariffs for developing country exports, debt reduction, mechanisms
for the transfer of technology and basic reforms in the international financial
architecture, as well as to avoid enforcing actions affecting developing
countries without having carried out the necessary consultation processes.
40.
We express regret on the failure to reach agreement at the Fifth World
Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference held in Cancun from 10 to 15
September 2003. We commend the
efforts of the Group of 77 in formulating a common position through the adoption
of the declaration on the Fifth WTO Ministerial Conference, which reflected the
concerns and interests of developing countries towards ensuring a multilateral
system that is responsive to the needs and concerns of developing countries.
We reaffirm the need to establish an open, rule-based, accountable,
transparent, predictable, just, secure, equitable, development oriented and
non-discriminatory global trade system. We agree to work towards seeking greater
market access for agricultural and other non-agricultural exports of interest to
the developing countries in multilateral negotiations. We reiterate that
negotiations on these issues must fully take into account the concerns and
special needs of the developing countries, especially the need for
operationalisation of Special and Differential treatment to promote, inter alia,
food security, rural development and export diversification in developing
countries, which are predominantly agrarian economies. In this regard, we stress
the importance of the further strengthening of our productive capacities and
creation of an environment conducive to product and export diversification.
41.
We reaffirm our long-standing and principled position that all human
rights are universal, inalienable, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.
We stress the importance of addressing the international human rights
agenda in a fair and balanced manner. We
remain concerned over the continued exploitation of human rights for political
purposes, including selective targeting of individual countries for extraneous
considerations, which are detrimental to the promotion and protection of all
human rights for all.
42.
We reiterate the concern expressed by the Non-Aligned Movement in its
Declaration at the 91st International Labor Conference over the
current methods and procedures for supervising labor standards. We welcome
international cooperation as an important contribution to the effective
realization of International Labor Standards and, to this end, we particularly
regard as a necessity the effective review and improvement of the working
methods of the Committee on the Application of Standards for the sake of
transparence and impartiality.
43.
We reiterate our strong support for the promotion of the social
agenda that currently is being demanded by our nations, meaning the urgent
eradication of poverty through inter-alia, enhanced international cooperation
and solidarity, the amelioration of social conditions, the rising of living
standards, as well as, the protection of the environment, in order to ensure
that the twenty-first century becomes the century of development for all. In
this connection, we emphasise the importance of dialogue on strengthening
international cooperation and partnership based on the mutuality of interests
and benefits, common but differentiated responsibilities and genuine
interdependence.
44.
We reiterate our commitment to the improvement of the situation of women,
without exception. We emphasise the need to ensure the participation of women in
the mainstream of development as well as in the political process, while at the
same time pledge to combat all forms of discrimination and violence against
women. We look forward to the convening of the NAM Ministerial Meeting on the
Advancement of Women, in Malaysia in 2004.
45.
We reiterate the Movement’s
concern over the intolerable persistence of adverse social and economic
conditions faced by children on account of poverty, use of children in armed
conflict, including abduction of children for training as child mercenaries and
in terrorism, mass killing of children in communal and sectarian violence, child
labour, particularly the worst forms of child labour, the continued exploitation
and trafficking of children for pornography, prostitution and drug trafficking,
the sale of children and their organs, the increasing number of children
affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as the suffering of refugee and displaced children
especially in Africa. Urgent steps, including through international
co-operation, must be undertaken to address these problems. In this regard, we
note the entry into force of the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the
Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and on the
Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography and encourage all
Member States to consider signing, ratifying or acceding to the Optional
Protocols of the Convention.
46.
We remain concerned over the scourge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and
encourage the continued engagement by the United Nations in this matter, as
manifested by the General Assembly High-level Plenary meetings held on 22
September 2003 in New York. We reiterate the need for greater
international cooperation and the flow of assistance, in particular from
developed countries in the fight against the pandemic and in this regard,
welcome the convening of the Fifteenth International Conference on HIV/AIDS to
be held in Thailand in 2004. We are concerned over the growing epidemics
of Malaria, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis and other communicable diseases, which
have devastating impact on economic development of the Member States.
47.
We also express our concern that new forms of diseases such as the Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) can have a tremendous impact on the people and
economies of affected countries and welcome the Special ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting
on SARS held in Bangkok in June 2003 as an example of regional cooperation that
has been undertaken to deal with this communicable disease that stands to affect
the economy and social well being of developing countries. We urge the
enhancement of international cooperation to deal with these emerging threats.
48.
We continue to be concerned about the threat posed by the illicit drug
problem and related crimes such as money laundering and we remain steadfast in
our determination to take effective measures and further enhance cooperation to
counter the illicit production of, trafficking in and consumption of narcotic
drugs and psychotropic substances. In
this regard, we place particular importance to strengthening control on trade in
precursors and essential chemical substances, sharing of information on
prevention and suppression measures, and enhancing international cooperation to
support alternative development programmes implemented in the process of
eradicating illicit crops, including through market access.
49. We welcome the generous offer of the Government of Sudan to host the 14th Ministerial Conference of NAM in Khartoum in 2004.
New York
26 September 2003