Havana, September 17
In a strong endorsement of India’s position, the 118-nation Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) today expressed its total opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and asked countries to combat the menace, including by prosecuting and extraditing its perpetrators.

The two-day NAM summit adopted the Havana Declaration and the “final document” in the early hours of the day urging countries to refrain from extending political, diplomatic, moral or material support to terrorism under the UN Charter.

Being held in Cuba, an inveterate anti-US campaigner, the conference condemned unilateralism and attempts to exercise hegemony in international relations, a favourite phraseology of Cuba for decades to attack Washington.

It resolved to oppose and condemn the categorisation of countries as “good or evil” based on unilateral and unjustified criteria and the adoption of a doctrine of pre-emptive attack, including by nuclear weapons.

In a paragraph that could cause discomfort to Pakistan, the 91-page final document expressed concern that terrorist groups, including former Taliban, were regrouping in southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan. The efforts of international community to fight terrorism were being undermined by support, protection and shelter that these forces of destabilisation continued to receive, it said.

Though the document did not name any country, sources said during the negotiations Pakistan had raised some objections to the wording.

India’s campaign for reform of the United Nations, especially the Security Council, found support when the declaration and the document expressed concern over the lack of progress in the discussions in the UN General Assembly on the question of equitable representation and increase in the membership of the council. It called for efforts to make the council more democratic, more representative, more accountable and more effective.

Taking up concerns of countries like India on the issue of terrorism, the document said criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror among the people “for whatever purposes, wherever, by whomever, against whomsoever committed are, in any circumstance, unjustifiable, whatever the considerations or factors that may be invoked to justify them”.

It asked the countries to fulfil their obligations under international and humanitarian laws to combat terrorism, including by prosecuting or extraditing the perpetrators of terrorist acts and by not instigating or financing terror acts against other states.

In a veiled attack on the USA, the summit opposed unilateralism in international relations as well as unilaterally imposed measures by certain states and the use of force and pressure to achieve their national policy objectives.

The summit reaffirmed the inalienable right of developing countries to engage in research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination.

It noted with concern that undue restrictions on export to developing countries of material, equipment and technology for peaceful purposes persist. The proliferation concerns must be addressed through a multilaterally negotiated, universal, comprehensive and non-discriminatory agreement.

On North-South dialogue and cooperation, the summit acknowledged the need for interaction among the leaders of the developing world for forging compatible or complementary responses on global issues.

It expressed concern over the continuing impasse in negotiations across all areas of Doha work programme and asked the developed countries to show flexibility in breaking the deadlock.

In a declaration on Iran’s nuclear issue, the conference said diplomacy and dialogue through peaceful means must continue to find a long-term solution and expressed conviction that the only way to resolve the issue was to resume negotiations without any preconditions.

It also adopted a declaration on Palestine and called on four countries involved in mediation to remain actively engaged in their efforts to bring about resumption of direct and substantial negotiations. — PTI