Vietnam was elected as one of the Vice Chairs of the meeting, which drew the participation of over 130 delegations from NAM member countries, observers and international organisations.

The delegates approved the meeting’s documents and declarations on celebrating the 50^th NAM founding anniversary and Palestinian refugees. The meeting also admitted Fiji and Azerbaijan, raising the total number of NAM members to 120.

Speaking at the event, the head of Vietnamese delegation highlighted the historical significance of NAM over the past five decades as it gathered the indispensable political forces of developing countries, protected the basic principles of the UN Charter and international law, and united against superpower policies, in order to build fair and equal international relations and strengthen friendship and cooperation among member countries.

Deputy FM said that NAM should maintain its existing basic principles which have been considered to be its guidelines over the past 50 years, especially the principle of respecting the independence and sovereignty of nations.

“The movement should improve its role and strengthen solidarity to respond to the current global challenges while accelerating UN reforms, implementing Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and solving burning issues by peaceful means with a view to maintaining international peace and security for the sustainable and prosperous development of all nations,” he said.

According to the Vietnamese representative, NAM needs to have a stronger, more united standpoint on fighting interventions in countries’ internal affairs under the mask of democracy and human rights, or the unilateral imposition of embargo measures against several NAM countries.

Deputy FM Minh affirmed that during the past struggle for national independence as well as in the current process of renewal, industrialisation and modernisation Vietnam has actively participated in NAM activities.

With its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of international relations, and proactive international integration to become an active and responsible member of the international community, Vietnam will make more practical contributions to achieving the movement’s goals in order to build a peaceful and prosperous world.

On the sidelines of the NAM Ministerial Meeting, Deputy FM Minh met with heads of several foreign delegations, including Cuba, Venezuela, Laos, Cambodia, India, Belarus, Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Colombia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Bhutan and Slovenia.