(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - An Iranian deputy foreign minister said that 16th heads-of-state summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Tehran was a historic event, given the number of the world officials who showed up in the gathering.
"The NAM foreign ministerial meeting was held at a higher level in comparison to the previous meetings of NAM. It was quite unprecedented in the history of NAM," Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary and Expatriates' Affairs Hassan Qashqavi said Friday.
The diplomat noted that a total of 72 foreign ministers attended the NAM ministerial meeting and summit held in August in Tehran.
Qashqavi pointed out that the Islamic Republic of Iran can proceed with its peaceful nuclear energy program for the next three years which it holds the rotating chair of NAM.
Referring to the fact that more than 54 kings and presidents attended the 16th meeting of NAM in Tehran, he noted that 138 countries attended the summit of which 120 are considered as main member of NAM and a total of 143 speeches were delivered at the summit and its expert and ministerial meetings.
The 16th NAM summit was held in Tehran from August 26 to 31.
Some 51 countries sent their high-ranking leaders to the 16th heads-of-state summit of the NAM, while over 150 delegations from the world countries and bodies attended the other meetings of the bloc in Tehran.
NAM, which is comprised of some 120 member and 17 observer states, is an international organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. NAM is the largest grouping of countries outside of the United Nations.
During the 6 days of holding the conference, the Iranian officials held meetings with the heads of states and important leaders of different countries attending the conference on different regional and international issues as well as the bilateral relations.
NAM member states represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nations' members and comprise 55% of the world population, particularly countries considered to be developing or part of the Third World.
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8 September 2012 - 10:02
News ID: 345764
An Iranian deputy foreign minister said that 16th heads-of-state summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Tehran was a historic event, given the number of the world officials who showed up in the gathering.
