(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Akhoundzadeh, who is the secretary of the expert-level meeting of the 16th NAM summit, made the remarks during an exclusive interview with us on Monday.
He said that the NAM summit seeks sustainable peace through joint global governance, adding that “there is a sense of optimism that NAM can play a very important role in promoting peace and stability and fighting intervention and unilateral policies of certain powers.”
The importance of the Non-Aligned Movement lies in the fact that it is the second largest international movement, after the United Nations, he added.
“After the collapse of the Soviet Union, when I attended the 1992 summit in Indonesia, there was a time that many countries were doubtful whether NAM was relevant or not. And I think, out of that session in Jakarta, many countries gradually came to the conclusion that yes, it is very much valid and it is very much essential because this gathering, which is the second largest after the United Nations, reflects… the conscience of the world, particularly the people in the streets. It still calls itself a movement,” Akhoundzadeh stated.
He said cooperation among NAM member states can have a positive impact on the world economic situation, and especially the crisis that is gripping the world, particularly Europe and the United States.
Asked about the unilateral stance of the United States and its allies on the situation in Syria, he said that the world will no longer accept the West’s biased attitude toward the issue.
“If the United States or… any country wants to disregard the rest of the world -- here we talk about NAM that constitutes 120 countries -- this is simply impossible,” he added. “You cannot ignore public opinion, particularly at this time… when each and every action and reaction of even individuals is being watched.”
At the end of the NAM expert-level meeting earlier in the day, experts from the NAM countries drew up a 700-paragraph document.
“The document calls on all parties to take urgent action in view of implementation of Iran's 1974 proposal for creating a Middle East free from nuclear weapons, and expresses profound concern about the nuclear arms held by Israel and the Israeli threats, and condemns the proliferation and stockpiling of nuclear weapons,” Akhoundzadeh told a press conference on Monday.
Over 100 countries have sent representatives to the NAM summit, which kicked off with an expert-level meeting in the Iranian capital on Sunday.
At the opening ceremony of the NAM expert-level meeting, Iran assumed the rotating presidency of the movement for three years.
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