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Polity
Published: 11 May 2004
Pahad to attend NAM meeting in Malaysia
Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad will attend a Non-Aligned Movement (Nam) Troika meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.

The meeting is expected to discuss the strengthening of the multilateral body to face up to new challenges such as terrorism and globalisation.

Briefing the media today before his departure, Pahad said he would also attend the Nam Committee meeting on Palestine, to consult with all role players to put the proposed Middle East roadmap on track.

He said the strengthening of Nam was of utmost importance bearing the different challenges facing it, such as international terrorism, globalisation and multilateralism. "We will try to see how Nam can be more effective in its response to globalisation, international terrorism. We want to see Nam playing a more pro-active role instead of being reactive. We will see how Nam can bring about peace in conflict areas using dialogue and diplomacy," said Pahad.

On the issue of Nam involvement in Mideast, Pahad said "we will try to consult with different role-players to begin to put the roadmap on track."

The Middle East roadmap drafted by a quartet comprising the US, Russia, United Nations and the European Union in 2002, proposes the creation of two separate independent Palestinian and Israeli states living side-by-side, in peace.

He said he hoped Nam would work towards finding a lasting solution to the Mideast crisis, which has seen violence escalating that pits Palestinian suicide bombers against the Israeli military.

Pahad added the Nam meeting would also look at ways to find lasting solution to the Iraqi crisis, which has seen the country deteriorating further into chaos since the US-coalition ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Meanwhile, Deputy President Jacob Zuma will attend the SADC Special Summit of Heads of State and Government on Agriculture and Food Security in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, next Saturday. Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister Thoko Didiza will accompany Zuma. - BuaNews