NAM STILL RELEVANT IN PRESENT-DAY POLITICS, SAYS INDIA

BY P. VIJIAN

NEW DELHI, July 10 (Bernama) -- India, the co-founder of the Non-Aligned
Movement (NAM), maintains that the 118-grouping is still relevant to face
contemporary problems confronting the international community.

"NAM has continuing relevance although it is 48 years old," said Vivek
Katiju, special secretary (political and international organisations)in the
Ministry of External Affairs.

India, along with then Yugoslavia and Egypt, initiated the formation of the
movement in 1955, but was only established in 1961, to voice out developing and
under-developed nations' views and issues.

"It stood for certain principles and applied those values against
colonialism and apartheid which was very successful. NAM seeks to apply the same
principles to address problems facing the international community.

"India's commitment to NAM is firm and abiding. As in the past, India will
continue to play an active role in the movement," Katiju told the media.


He was briefing journalists on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's
visit to Sharm el Sheikh, in Egypt to attend the 15th NAM Summit scheduled to
take place from July 15-16.

This year's summit theme is: "International Solidarity for Peace and
Development, and the Current Economic and Financial Crisis."

--BERNAMA