"At its establishment in 1961, our Movement was far from the robust force for peace and progress that it is today," Marty said in his speech at the opening of the 16th Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) here Wednesday.
Inspired by the Bandung Principles and the UN Charter, NAM had planned a more peaceful world, he said.
"We must make sure that our movement is more than ready to face the challenges in the 21st century, because the current challenges are very complicated, varied and transnational," he said.
In the beginning, the founding fathers of NAM represented newly-independent countries, which had suffered under colonial powers and had been burdened by underdevelopment and dearth of resources.
Minister Marty said the Movement had to become part of the solutions to global challenges in the next 50 years.
The minister also quoted the opening speech of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who stated that the Movement could become a net contributor to a culture of global peace and security.
The president, who officially opened the 16th NAM Ministerial meeting, said NAM must encourage the major powers to maintain stable and cooperative relations.
"We must help to ensure that the seismic power-shifts do not lead to new strategic tension. Where possible, we should encourage a constructive process of cooperative security, so that enemies become friends, and friends become partners.
"In the tradition of the Non-Aligned, we also need to ensure, that better relations among the big powers do not take place at the expense of smaller states. This is why a win-win approach is totally necessary," the head of state said.
The NAM meeting is taking place in Nusa Dua from May 23 to 27, 2011, and is being participated in by around 600 people, including representatives of the 118 NAM member.
(Uu.O001/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
