Iran President Urges Reconsideration Of NAM Goals, Aspirations

Tehran, Aug 30, IRNA – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that the Non-Aligned Movement needs to reconsider its goals and aspirations to have a part in governance of the international community. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 16th Summit of NAM, the President called for materialization of partnership in global governance and establishing a lasting peace worldwide as ultimate goals of the NAM late founders. The President said he believed "materialization of the joint global governance which secures a justice-based peace, freedom and human dignity was the ultimate goals of the late founders of the NAM", dismissing veto powers in the context of the United Nations Security Council as the defunct legacy of the World War II. When all world countries participated in governing the world then there would be no room for discrimination, aggression and hegemony and every nation would have the chance to take advantage of all possibilities, said the president. Iran officially received chairmanship of NAM from Egypt at the inaugural ceremony of the summit Thursday morning. The 16th NAM Summit began with a speech by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei who urged NAM members to play a more effective role in the present world which headed towards a new order. "…The world is in transition towards a new international order and the Non-Aligned Movement can and should play a new role," the Supreme Leader said. The summit is participated by leaders from over 120 NAM member states and representatives of major international organizations including Secretary-General of the United Nation Ban Ki-moon, Special Envoy of the Saudi King Abdulaziz bin Abdullah as-Saud, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa ath-Thani, President of Pakistan Yusuf Ali Zardari and Lebanese President Michel Suleiman Prime Minister of Syria Wael Nader al-Halqi and the country's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem are also attending the meeting. Senior Iranian officials are also present in the Summit including Chairman of the Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, head of Experts Assembly Ahmad Janati, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, Judiciary Chief Sadeq Amoli Larijani. More than 1,000 domestic and foreign reporters and photographs are covering the major event./end