Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
At a Ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement chaired by Foreign Minister Alfred Nzo in New York yesterday, the following communique was released:
1. The Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation attending the 53rd Session of the General Assembly met on 24 September 1998 in New York and held a general debate to exchange views on items before the General Assembly and to consider issues of importance to the Movement.
2. The Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation welcomed Belarus as a new member of the Movement, congratulated the Republic of South Africa on its assumption of the Chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement and also thanked it for logistical and other arrangements made towards the success of the XII NAM Summit held in Durban. They further extended their appreciation to Colombia for its Chairmanship of the Movement during the past three years.
3. The Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation reiterated their commitment to the principles of the Movement and the need for further cooperation and solidarity in promoting and defending the interests of the Movement in global affairs on the basis of common positions agreed to by the members.
4. In this regard the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation recalled the Final Document of the XII Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Durban in the period 29 August to 3 September 1998 and recommitted themselves to the decisions reached at the Summit.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 25 SEPTEMBER 1998