The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) rotating president Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque on Tuesday called on NAM member states to strengthen the role of the international body in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
"We should strengthen the role of NAM in the UNSC in order to help establish durable peace and security at international level," he was quoted by Iran's official IRNA news agency in his address to the 15th Ministerial Conference of the NAM which opened in Tehran on Tuesday.
NAM members could play a much more active role in UN human rights affairs and help materialize the legitimate goals of countries of the South, he said, adding that "If NAM is to play a much stronger role, it should wield veto right."
He also said that NAM members have coordinated stands on those countries which seek to make peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki Sunday called on the NAM member states to support Iran's non-permanent membership at the UNSC.
The 15th Ministerial Conference of the NAM opened at the Conference Hall of the Organization of the Islamic Conference on Tuesday with an inaugural speech of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Representatives from 118 members, 15 observer members and eight international and regional organizations including 60 foreign ministers attended the meeting.
The conference is expected to review the developments and implementation of decisions made in the 14th NAM Summit in Havana in 2006, evaluate the latest international developments, particularly those related to the issues of interests for NAM member states, and also assess the achievements made so far in the process of revitalization and strengthening of the NAM since the holding of the last summit.
The NAM, founded in 1961 with 118 members as of 2007, is an international organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. China became an observer to the NAM in 1992 which is made up of mostly developing countries from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Source:Xinhua
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