PUTRAJAYA: The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abd. Kadir had expressed ASEAN’s disappointment with the Non- Alligned Movement’s (NAM) refusal to accept ASEAN’s proposals in relation to the South China Sea in the Final Meeting Document, which has persisted for almost 10 years.
Malaysia’s resolve in voicing criticism of NAM received support from representatives of NAM Member States present, including those from ASEAN countries.
Zamry had expressed the ASEAN’s disappointment when he delivered his statements at the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (CoB-NAM) in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 5th July 2023.
In the statement Zamry said, underscored that NAM needs to remain relevant and not favour any major power in line with the fundamental principles of NAM, and that it must not ignore the concerns and interests of Member States in upholding the NAM’s principles.
“Malaysia believes that NAM will be able to play a more effective, dynamic and progressive role on a range of current issues relevant to its Member States at the regional and global levels, provided that NAM remains non-aligned,” he said in the statement.
Among the key points made by Zambry in his statements were as follows: 1) Underlined the importance of cooperation among NAM Member States in overcoming common challenges, as well as nurturing trust, mutual respect and understanding; 2) Expressed concern over the rise of hatred and insensitivity in certain countries, evident in the recent Quran-burning incident in Sweden.
Malaysia stressed that bigotry, Islamophobia, racism and any desecration of holy scriptures, irrespective of religion, must be condemned; 3) Emphasised the need for reform of the United Nations (UN) to ensure that the aspirations and interests of UN Members are advanced fairly and equitably; 4) Stressed that the international financial architecture should be overhauled to help developing countries overcome various problems such as financial crises, inflation, rising interest rates and a standstill in debt relief.
Meanwhile the Foreign Ministry in its statement said, the meeting was chaired by Azerbaijan and was attended by more than 100 representatives of NAM Member States, NAM Observer States and special guests including representatives of international organizations. This CoB-NAM Ministerial Meeting is part of the preparatory process for the 19th NAM Summit, scheduled to take place in Kampala, Uganda, in January 2024. – Malaysia World News
