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The Non-Aligned Movement As A Path To World Peace

Above Photo: From  Cooptv.wordpress.com

The Decades-Old Global Forum of 120 Nations Representing 55% of the World’s Population Demand an End to the West’s “Rules-Based-Chaos” of Sanctions and War.

Confronted with the real possibility of a war in the Middle East and the increasing deterioration of the relations between a group of western states that feel aligned to the USA versus the countries Russia, China, Iran and Venezuela, this article is intended to shed more light on the actual geopolitical interests and power relations.

When western media report on the political opponents of western politics, the existence of an important alliance is almost completely ignored, an alliance which rejects the politics of the so-called western „interest group“ in its essential points. It is the „Non Aligned Movement“ which actually represents the majority of the world’s population.

Opposition to Western foreign policy is almost always reduced to a small core group of countries that are mostly demonized: Russia, China, Syria, Iran, Venezuela and North Korea.

Due to the dangerous and growing disregard for the rule of law in the context of tensions between the United States and Venezuela, 17 representatives of the non-aligned movement, as well as of the UN member states and Russia and China , held a UN press conference on February 14, 2019, under the leadership of the Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza.

The aim of the press conference at the UN was to announce the formation of a coalition with the goal to defend the peace and sovereignty of the nations and the United Nations Charter. It was related to the movement of the „Non Aligned Movement“. Initially it was said that around 50-60 states would be part of the coalition. In the following weeks numerous background talks took place.

From July 20 to 21, 2019, Venezuela hosted the ministerial meeting of the „Non-Aligned Movement. The latter finally adopted the Caracas Declaration, which expressly reaffirmed the principles of the above-mentioned Press Conference from February 14, 2019.

Foreign Ministers from Iran, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Palestine, Suriname and Antigua Barbuda attended the meeting in Venezuela. as well as the Deputy Foreign Ministers of Russia and Turkey, including representatives from most of the other member states of the „Non Aligned Movement“.

Meeting in Caracas, July 2019

The Caracas Declaration underlines the call for non-interference against other countries and supports all other nations that are exposed to threats, illegal sanctions and destabilization.

The Caracas Declaration deals in particular with the dangerous escalation of tensions, threats, trade wars and sanctions against other countries.

When the Non-Aligned Movement was founded in 1961, it was based on the concept of a coalition of states that were not affiliated to either of the two power blocs led by the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Over the decades since its founding, the movement has grown from a small group of just under 30 countries to 120 member states. Overall, these countries now represent approximately 55 percent of the world’s population and nearly two-thirds of the states in the UN General Assembly and the NAM is the second largest multilateral body after the United Nations.

China itself years ago was also a member of NAM for a period of time and now is a key supporter of the alliance together with Russia.

Today, the Non-Aligned Movement works as an alliance to strengthen international security and self-determination, while at the same time fundamentally opposing interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

The idea for the alliance stems from an initiative by the Yugoslav President Tito, the Egyptian Head of State Nasser, the Indian Prime Minister Nehru and the Indonesian President Sukarno. In April 1955, emissaries from 23 asian and 6 african countries met in the Indonesian city of Bandung. They were countries that did not belong to the western or eastern alliance system and at the same time were very different from each other socially and politically.

As a result of the Bandung conference, the 29 states passed several resolutions. They condemned „all forms of colonialism and racial discrimination and called for respect for the United Nations Charter.“ Another resolution spoke in favor of „reducing tensions between power blocks, general disarmament and a ban on nuclear weapons“.

At the Bandung conference, demands from Third World contries for equal rights and treatment against the former colonial powers were raised for the first time. The “spirit of Bandung” made a significant contribution to the decolonization process in Africa and in Asia. The Non-Aligned Movement was formed as a result of the Bandung Conference.

During the founding phase of the movement, Yugoslavia, Egypt and India held the leading role until the NAM movement was concluded with the first summit conference in Belgrade between September 1 and 5, 1961. Then 24 countries were represented by their heads of state. „The political basis of the Non-Aligned Movement was a policy of peaceful coexistence, independence from the major powers and alliances in East and West, and support for national independence movements – especially in the Third World.“

In its core positions, the alliance always saw itself as anti-imperialist. One example is the position on Palestine, an official member of the alliance. It has not changed significantly since it was founded. The Non-Aligned Movement demands that the situation of the Palestinians must be improved – for example with the establishment of the 1967 borders.

With around 120 out of 193 UN member states, the member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement now have international weight on this issue. They support the Palestinian Authority in the UN General Assembly and call on the successor states of Yugoslavia to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state.

However, there are also interstate conflicts in which the non-aligned attitude can sometimes seem contradictory. Among the 81 states that have recognized Kosovo as a sovereign state, there are also 32 NAM members. These countries are violating one of their own principles – respect for the territorial integrity of all states. The increasing number of members states sometimes prevented them from agreeing on a common policy on all issues.

But the representatives of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in a joint statement during their summer 2019 meeting, condemned the hostile policies by the US-administration against Venezuela . They asked the US-government to immediately lift the economic and financial sanctions imposed on Venezuela. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov attended the meeting as a guest of honor.

In his opening speech, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Arreaza appealed to strengthen multilateralism. „We live in a historic moment when multilateralism is under attack, a systemic phenomenon that is affecting many countries in the world: coups, political destabilization, economy with geopolitical interests.“ He also stressed the need to promote the right to peace and the right to decide the future of peoples without external pressure to create a more peaceful and prosperous world. „Venezuela, as well as Cuba, Iran, Syria, Nicaragua and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are victims of interventionism, by foreign powers who insist on a change of government, who choose a regime that is subservient to their interests.“

Cuba’s Foreign Minister Rodríguez emphasized Cuba’s determination to support the President of Venezuela. Rodríguez condemned US interference in thr internal affairs of both Cuba and Venezuela, noting that the United States has recently tightened sanctions against Cuba to punish the country for its solidarity with Venezuela. He talked about the “dangerous and difficult” geopolitical context, in which the security and well-being of our countries are facing unprecedented challenges, and in which unity and solidarity are essential for the peace and development of our peoples the movement of the non-aligned according to their own understanding, as Fidel Castro defined it: anti-imperialist, anti-colonialist, anti-neocolonialist.

In its Caracas declaration the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) stresses the fact that only Venezuela can decide its own fate. No other state can intervene in accordance with the United Nations Charter. The NAM countries reject foreign intervention in Venezuela and reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful solution to the country’s problems.

Iran’s Secretary of State, Zarif, stated that US sanctions against sovereign countries are part of terrorism and that the United States is witnessing a „new wave of extreme one-sided adventurism“ that „compromises global stability and peace in one way or another.“ threatened otherwise „.

The President of the UN General Assembly, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, said in her speech, delivered by video, that the NAM must continue to vigorously defend respect for sovereignty, the right to self-determination, international solidarity and peace and development for all. The President of the UN General Assembly declared that the Non-Aligned Movement is essential to respond to major societal challenges: eradicating poverty, reducing inequality, protecting the environment and ensuring the health, education and decent work of all.

She went on to say that both organizations, the United Nations General Assembly and the Non-Aligned Alliance, agreed to maintain peace and prevent conflict and to promote dialogue, cooperation and fair solutions for all.

Over the decades, conferences of the Non-Aligned Movement have taken place in the following locations: 1961 Belgrade, 1964 Cairo, 1970 Lusaka, 1973 Algiers, 1976 Colombo, 1979 Havana, 1983 Delhi, 1986 Harare, 1989 Belgrade, 1992 Jakarta, 1995 Cartagena, 1998 Durban, 2003 Kuala Lumpur, 2006 Havana; 2009 Sharm Ash Shaykh. 2012: Tehran 2016: Isla Margarita, Venezuela; 2019 Caracas

Requirements for membership in the Non-Aligned Movement are in line with the most important principles of the United Nations. Current requirements are that candidate countries support the „Bandung principles“ of 1955:

  • # Recognition of fundamental human rights and the goals and principles of the United Nations Charter.
  • # Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
  • # Recognition of movements for national independence.
  • # Recognizing the equality of people of all ethnic origins and the equality of all peoples.
  • # Abstaining from intervention or interference in another country’s internal affairs.
  • # Respect for each nation’s right to defend itself individually or collectively, in accordance with and in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
  • # Waiver of or threat of aggression or the use of violence against the territorial integrity or political independence of another country.
  • # Resolve and resolve all international disputes through peaceful means, in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
    # Promote mutual interests and cooperation.
  • # Respect for international law and its international obligations.

Since the 2012 conference in Tehran, it has become clear that developing countries – not just the Latin American countries – are increasingly focusing on their strength.

Despite the presence of US-allies such as Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Qatar and others, who are also member states of the Non-Aligned Movement, the final document from Tehran in 2012 was a clear manifestation of the developing countries against the dominance of the so-called Western international community, especially the United States.

The final document of the NAM-Movement in Tehran 2012 consequently called for „fundamental changes“, a „global approach“ and „collective management“ in solving world problems.

At the next meeting in September 2016 took place on the Margarita island in Venezuela.

At the meeting in Caracas 2019, the alliance, together with Russia and China, finally stood against the ever escalating policies of the western states.

Most recently, the influence of the non-aligned alliance was clearly evident during the UN General Assembly in New York. Because here the alliance represents two thirds of the UN member states. Numerous speakers addressed the calls for an end to Western intervention policies directly during the General Assembly.

Referring to the global shifts in power in recent years, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov summed it up. that it is „difficult for the West“ to accept the weakening of its centuries-long dominance in world politics. New economic centers and new political influences have arisen. The western powers reacted to this, however, by trying to „prevent the development of a polycentric world“. They are not prepared to recognize „the legitimate interests of other countries“ and are therefore constantly breaking international law.

This development should now be noted and understood worldwide by progressive and left movements. Anyone who criticizes an end to the interference policy and aggression of the West and is committed to worldwide cooperation instead of confrontation represents the interests of the majority of humanity.

Criticism of certain aspects of the politics of individual states is of course necessary, but this should not detract from the positive assessment of the importance of this alliance.

Progressive movements are no longer supported only by the important alternative media platforms worldwide, but also by the influential media networks of Russia, China and Latin America. In this way, representatives of the anti-war movement and other social movements can increasingly be heard worldwide.

An important alliance of states has formed here that is now for the first time able to oppose Western politicies of permanent aggression and interference. This is the only way to create conditions for dealing with other fundamental crises and problems in peaceful international cooperation.

In October of 2019, the 193 members of the UN General Assembly voted to assign seats in the United Nations Human Rights Council for Latin America and the Caribbean. Brazil, Venezuela and Costa Rica were available to choose from. Brazil received the most votes with 153, then Venezuela with 105 and finally Costa Rica with 96 votes.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Arreaza welcomed the vote and declared: „I would even call this election historic because we are facing a massive campaign by the United States and its vassals.“ At the same time, he thanked the members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), who had supported Venezuela in the vote. „We will never forget what they have done for our people and the UN Charter,“ wrote the Venezuelan ambassador to the UN, Samuel Moncada, on Twitter.

“We have never voted against such large and powerful forces before, but the risk of losing has only strengthened our fighting spirit because our cause is just. We defend our right to self-determination and peace. “

The panel reaffirmed on the UN website the universal principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and self-determination, equality between states and non-interference in the internal affairs of states. The Venezuelans alone are responsible for finding a „peaceful, democratic and constitutional“ solution for their country, „without interference from the military, security forces or foreign secret services“.

In the ongoing power struggle in Venezuela in recent months, the UN Human Rights Council has primarily questioned US policy against the South American country. The „unilateral extraterritorial coercive measures“ against Venezuela „would further exacerbate the effects of the economic crisis and thus the humanitarian situation of the Venezuelan people“.

Another proof of the role of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was the first Russia-Africa Forum, which took place in the Russian city of Sochi in October. Heads of state from 47 African countries, mostly member states of the NAM-Alliance. They all followed the Russian invitation to Sochi and a total of around 10,000 people took part in the historic summit.

The host of the conference, Russian President Putin said that „there is concern that the situation in many African regions remains unstable“. He added that „many ethnic and inter-ethnic conflicts have not been resolved while serious political, economic and social crises continue“.

Putin said that Russia was ready to participate in international efforts to promote peace and stability on African soil: “We are in favor of strengthening the role of African countries in resolving local conflicts. At the same time, we consistently pursue the principle of ‚African solutions to African problems‘ ”.

According to President Putin, the Russia-Africa Forum “should become the starting point for building a fair partnership based on equality and mutual practical interest”.

Event in New York, September 22 LINK

Activists in the United States and Germany in 2019 published a „Global Appeal for Peace“ ( GlobalAppeal4Peace.net ) to ensure that their governments abide by the principles of the United Nations Charter and in the interests of global peace, international security and peaceful coexistence to demand compliance in defense of international principles. The appeal was made public at rallies in Germany and in New York during the session of the UN General Assembly.

Numerous organizations, politicians and personalities from different countries have signed the appeal to raise awareness for the Non-Aligned Movement.

Supporters GlobalAppeal4Peace.net ) Among many others Roger Waters, Cynthia McKinney, Cindy Sheehan, Embassy Protection Collective, CODEPINK, International Action Center, Popular Resistance, US Peace Council, Veterans for Peace, World Beyond War, Pima County Green Party, Show Up! America, Environmentalists Against War, The Nuclear Resister, Western Massachusetts Venezuela Solidarity Coalition, Peace For Okinawa Coalition, Women’s International Leagee for Peace and Freedom, Ray McGovern, Frank Dorrel, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Germany, Green Party Netherlands, Food Not Bombs USA, Veterans for Peace, Trident Ploughshares UK, Coop Anti-War Cafe Berlin, Green Party United States Peace Action Committee, Green Party of Bay County, Green Party of Monmouth County NJ, Green Party of Allegheny County, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, Peace and Freedom Party, Movement 4 Peoples‘ Democracy, Movimiento por un mundo sin guerras y sin violencia, Coalición de Derechos Humanos and politicians in Europe: Andrej Hunko, Annette Groth, Alexander Neu, and Clare Daly.



Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) – 120 member states – Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao Peoples‘ Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Marroko, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal,Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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