Cuba summit sends strong messagehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5353336.stmBBC News, Havana
The summit of the Non-Aligned Movement being held in Havana has ended with delegates agreeing a final statement.
The movement consists of 118 countries, mostly from the developing world.
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The delegates representing almost two-thirds of all the countries in the world gave their approval to a document which spells out the points they agree on.
There is strong condemnation of Israel's recent intervention in Lebanon, a call for the United Nations to be more representative of smaller nations, support for Iran's nuclear energy plans and implicit criticism of much of US foreign policy.
Many of the world leaders attending the summit used their seven allocated minutes at the podium to vent their anger at the Bush administration.
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U.S. and U.N. bashed at Cuba summithttp://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-09-17T005123Z_01_N14252483_RTRUKOC_0_US-NONALIGNED.xml&pageNumber=0&imageid=&cap=&sz=13&WTModLoc=NewsArt-C1-ArticlePage3HAVANA (Reuters) - Washington's biggest enemies, from communist Cuba to North Korea, called on developing nations on Saturday to challenge U.S. dominance through a revived Non-Aligned Movement labeled a Cold War relic by critics.
More than 50 heads of state and leaders from over 100 Third World countries, among them Iran and Venezuela, rejected U.S. use of the "axis of evil" label and supported Tehran's right to nuclear technology for peaceful use.
"American imperialism is in decline. A new, bi-polar world is emerging," Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez said.
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"The idea that the movement must go beyond statements and take action in international forums has gained force here. Our strength must emerge from our numbers," Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque. NAM nations are almost two thirds of the UN.
Leaders took turns at the podium to criticize global poverty, unfair trade practices and "arbitrary" actions by powerful nations that -- they complained -- controlled the United Nations. Some said NAM should be strengthened as an alternative.
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Summary of Briefing with PressSeptember 16, 2006.
http://www.cubanoal.cu/ingles/Conferencias/160906.htmThe press briefing held Saturday, September 16 began with a succinct presentation by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, Felipe Perez Roque, discussing general aspects of the 14th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). It also covered significant advances in negotiations, which must conclude by the end of the day with the adoption of all documents announced previously.
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The Movement, which emerged as an alternative to the two antagonistic blocs which existed during the Cold War, has updated content and work objectives, as was demonstrated in Havana. The objectives have also been updated and consist of the defence of multilateralism, opposition to hegemonic and unilateral action, and opposition to violations of International Law. At the same time, they call for the defence of the rights of all nations (irrespective of their size, level of development or power), the strengthening of the role of international organizations, as well as the reform and democratization of those bodies.
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Among the many topics that this (the Final) document deals with are:
- support for the Bolivian people and government;
- support for the constitutional government of Venezuela;
- support for Cuba, and a call on the government of the United States to end the economic, commercial and financial blockade of this country; a rejection of the growing extraterritorial character of that blockade and new measures which toughen it; a call on the US government to return to Cuban sovereignty the territory presently occupied by its naval base at Guantanamo, and to put an end to illegal TV and radio broadcasts against Cuba;
- support for the extradition request presented by Venezuela before the government of the United States to bring to justice those responsible for the terrorist attack against an Cubana airliner in October 1976 which resulted in the deaths of 73 innocent civilians. In this respect, NAM opposes protection offered to individuals accused of perpetrating terrorist acts in Venezuela; this prevents Venezuelan authorities from compelling them to appear before justice;
- the reiteration that democracy is a universal value, based on the will of the people, freely expressed, to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural system, and with total participation in all the aspects of life; this reaffirms that although all democracies have common characteristics, there is no single model of democracy and that this one is not the patrimony of any country or region. The Non-Aligned Movement does not agree with the premise that preventive wars, secret jails, illegal international transfers of prisoners, the invasion of countries and regime changes are the paths towards democracy;
- the reaffirmation of the necessity to properly respect sovereignty and the right to free determination;
- the strong condemnation of the acts of aggression committed against Lebanon and violations committed by the Israeli government, while expressing solidarity and support for the people and government of Lebanon, and respect for its territorial integrity;
- on social issues and the development, an accurate assessment is made of the international economic situation, particularly that of our countries, and the positions of the Movement are reaffirmed concerning commerce, cooperation, financial-monetary relations; the fight against racism and discrimination; the advancement of women; special challenges of indigenous peoples, and the situation faced by less developed landlocked countries;
- etc.
The Final Document makes fundamental statements advocating the promotion and preservation multilateralism; it reaffirms that the United Nations, its Charter and International Law continue to be indispensable.
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4. Declaration on Palestine. In this declaration, solidarity with the cause of the Palestinian people is reaffirmed.
5. Declaration on the Nuclear Question of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The text ratifies that which was already decided upon by the foreign ministers when they met in Putrajaya, Malaysia in May 2006. The fundamental and inalienable right of all the states to undertake the research, production and use of nuclear energy with pacific aims is reaffirmed in this declaration. It rejects the monopoly of nuclear technology, as well as hypocrisy and double standards; it rejects those possessing nuclear weapons upgrading and extending them, while at the same time prohibiting others from using nuclear energy to produce electricity, for medical applications, and other peaceful ends. The use of nuclear energy with peaceful aims is defended, without discrimination and in accordance with respective legal obligations. It is said in the declaration that the International Atomic Energy Organization is the only authority competent to verify the fulfilment of the obligations made by virtue of safeguard agreements.
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