By IRNA
New Delhi : Commenting on Lalit Mansingh’s (former Foreign Secretary) statement over relevance of Non-Align Movement (NAM), Indian Minister of State for External Affairs today said, “NAM is a movement that still stands for the defence of national sovereignty of nations and for a more equitable world order.
Mansingh, who served as the foreign secretary under A B Vajpayee government from 1999-2001, speaking at a discussion organized to mark 60 years of diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Washington, Saturday last said that the policy of non-alignment has lost its relevance as it had a meaning only during the cold war period”. “Non-alignment is a non-policy today. There is no relevance for it now.”
In a telephonic conversation with IRNA, E Ahmed, Dubbed the remark as “out of place” and counter questioned the relevance of America-led NATO (North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation) after the end of the Cold War.
He said the end of Cold War has made NAM to take a fresh look at global and regional problems in a world without the Soviet Union.
“Non-aligned is not a dogma, it is not a doctrine, it is a state of mind,” Ahmed added.
“We don’t believe that the (NAM) movement has lost its relevance.
It has acquired contemporary relevance in fostering cooperation among developing nations, particularly known as South-South cooperation.” “India is a founding member of NAM and believes that the movement has contributed substantially to the struggle against colonialism and apartheid policies in the post-Second World War period.”
“There can be no question of India’s firm and abiding commitment to non-alignment. India remains committed to its ideals”, he concludes.
Earlier this year, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had also suggested that Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) had lost its relevance, evoking a sharp reaction from India, with government and political parties rejecting the view in unison.
The Non-Aligned Movement is a Movement of 115 members representing the interests and priorities of developing countries. The Movement has its origin in the Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955.
The first Conference of Non-Aligned Heads of State or Government, at which 25 countries were represented, was convened at Belgrade in September 1961, largely through the initiative of Yugoslavian President Tito.