Issue No. 95

            
Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad*

 15th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement

Tehran, 27-30 July 2008

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

"Oh Allah hasten the reappearance of your VALI (Friend and Imam, the MAHDI), and give him health, good fate and help, and put us in his best followers and helpers and under his supervision"

Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished Foreign Ministers of the NAM Member States

At the outset I thank the Almighty for providing me with the opportunity to attend this valuable gathering. I welcome you, all distinguished guests, to the Islamic Republic of Iran. I am very pleased to meet you here in this great Conference.

I hope through your valuable efforts, all Member States, observer members and by extent the today world could benefit the fruitful outcome of the present Conference. I deem it necessary to sincerely thank Cuba for its good leadership over the Movement during its presidency. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The world is on the threshold of a very big and important development.

The people of the world now, facing big and sometimes huge challenges, are looking for a promising future.

Presently insecurity and war have been raged in some regions like Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine as well as some parts of Africa and Asia bringing a painful and bitter life to their people.

In some areas insecurity has become chronic and so old that no solution out of it seems imaginable.

Occupied Palestine serves as an example in this respect. The 60 year old wound on Palestine has not yet healed and all of us are witnessing the daily massacre of innocent Palestinians.

In addition to the insecurity, blockading the roads has directed great sufferings to the Palestinian women, children and patients who are considered as the main victims of inhuman and ugly behavior of the Zionist regime.

Insecurity inside Afghanistan and Iraq is also turning into a chronic pain.

Heinous occupation of Iraq has caused a human catastrophe with extensive unpleasant consequences.

It is now tens of years that Palestinian nation have not felt and enjoyed welfare and progress.

Millions of Palestinians have become displaced living in refugee camps in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and a number of other countries.

Numbers of victims resulting from the occupation have been mentioned even up to more than a million. Number of the displaced Iraqi people inside this country has also amounted to millions. Iraq is a country with an ancient history. And it is considered as one of the important cradles of human civilizations. If the former dictator of this country were not supported by certain powers and if Iraq were not occupied by foreign troops, undoubtedly this country would have been turned into a regional avant guard in welfare, progress and prosperity.

Proliferation of nuclear weapons was the outcome of the competition between great powers. These powers intended to use these weapons in order to impose their political will upon different peoples and governments. Unfortunately despite all the threats coming from these weapons they are still manufactured, developed and stored in the arsenals by these powers.

Spread of contagious diseases like AIDS also is the unfortunate consequence of lack of health and education. If we go to the root causes of this problem we can see that the main roots lie in the economic and cultural relations dictated by the great powers and also the inefficient existing international organizations and bodies.

No other reason can be sought for widespread of dangerous diseases like AIDS in certain areas of the world whose population, enjoying rich cultural heritage, are losing their lives to a large extent.

Production of narcotics has increased remarkably in some parts of the world in the recent years. This occurs while we can witness large military presence of big powers in the same areas. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With respect to economy also we are facing very big challenges as follows:

-   The draught resulting from our environmental failures and high production of emissions.

-    Devaluation of US Dollar and politically and economically motivated artificial rise of prices of oil and gas which has led to sky rocketing all goods prices which has inflicted decisive blows upon the poor countries.

-   Turbulence in the financial and monetary as well as stock markets in various parts of the world.

-    Harsh problems facing farmers in the poor countries caused by import of agricultural products in very low prices due to the subsidies paid to farmers of exporting and producing countries and elimination of import tariffs within the framework of the WTO rules and regulations.

-    Extensive interference of big powers in financial markets and controlling these markets in favor of the US economy given the existing links between the these markets and the US Central Bank, undermining role of other countries which shall be played with respect to their own resources.

-   Transfer of monetary and financial problems of big powers to other countries.

-   Policy of monopolism regarding science and technologies and depriving other countries from accessing to modern technologies and in short curbing progress of other countries.

-   Financing military build-ups and occupations by stirring up division between different countries and creating tension and insecurity in various parts of the world with the purpose to intensify arms and military ace leading to sale of further weapons to the belligerent parties.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Another big and important challenge facing the humanity is the drive of certain powers to undermine and eliminate indigenous cultures which is followed by elimination of national identities and values as well as unity and consolidation of nations. These are the same human and divine values which shall define the humanity. Values like right and justice seeking; showing compassion to people; love and piety all have come under cultural assault to a large extent in the recent years.

It goes without saying that without human morality and divine values, no identity is imaginable for the human being and the human being without identity will easily submit to pressures and desires of big powers moving towards their interests.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

What I mentioned was a small part of the problems and challenges facing the human beings. But here this question comes to the mind that:

What is the solution?

Some say if we refer the problems to the political, economic and legal bodies and organizations within the existing international structures we can reach the desired solution or at least a part of it. This occurs while the main reason behind the establishment of many of the said organizations is to secure the interests of certain big powers. Then how we can expect to seek the solution out of these organizations and bodies when the same big powers have caused many of our today problems and difficulties?

For example can you imagine that some day the Security Council condemns the US Administration or issues a resolution against this Administration?

If it were supposed that the UN and the Security Council to consider and solve the international problems based on justice then today we would not have faced the problems of Palestine and principally witnessed recognition of the bullying and occupying Zionist regime; And the Vietnam War, as the symbol of western aggression against the east would have been nipped in its bud. Of course the price of this war was paid by Vietnamese people hundred thousands of whom were killed by occupying forces. An untiring and resistant nation spent its

human and economic resources in fighting against aggressors for so many years. The main reason for ending the Vietnam War shall not be sought in the UN and its Security Council but in the resistance of the Vietnamese nation; unfortunately after the end of War the aggressors and war criminals were not brought to justice. As the recent 60 year old history certifies, any war in which certain permanent members of the Security Council were involved, has finished through unjust mechanisms and the aggressors have not been punished.

With respect to Iraq it was the US army which first occupied Iraq and then the authorization was given by the Security Council.

Current democratically elected Iraqi Government is still affected by the 7th Chapter of the UN which had been used against Saddam regime. Misusing these rules and regulations, the US Administration wishes to force Iraq to sign the security agreement forwarded by this Administration. The agreement which violates independence and rights of Iraqi people.

But with regard to Lebanon the scandal reached to its climate. The Zionist regime attacked Lebanon and during 33 days launched heaviest bombardments against oppressed people, civilians and vital installations and facilities of Lebanon. Of course the Security Council did not interfere and remained silent. But when failure of the Zionist army was proved then it issued the resolution on the cease fire.

There are other numerous examples of the inefficiency and unjust approach of the Security Council which has always been neglecting the rights of other nations which I do not intend to go through case by case.

My Dear Friends,

Currently there exist no organization which shall be entitled to have the authority and make decisions on nuclear disarmament of the countries and powers possessed these types of weapons. In the provisions of the IAEA rules and regulations and NPT also the powers, possessed nuclear weapons, have been exempted from the commitments. Now there is no any mechanism which ensures non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and it is for the same reason that we can witness further development and proliferation of these weapons by big and bullying powers.

This occurs while nuclear activities of other countries for peaceful purposes are condemned under pretext of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Today in which countries we can find covert prisons. In which countries peoples' telephone calls are eves-dropped and in which countries people in the streets are monitored and controlled? In which countries the accused are arrested and kept in prisons for months without any verdict and they put under Middle Age tortures. This occurs while these countries accuse others of violating human rights. Of course as usual international human rights bodies and organizations have always remained silent vis-à-vis the violation of human rights taken place in these countries. 

Distinguished Guests,

The international economic mechanisms and financial and monetary systems as well as international banks have not been created for rendering services to nations and solving their problems but they are in fact in service of certain powers who as I mentioned before will get the most benefits from them.

Therefore as you can see, because most of these mechanisms, systems and bodies are influenced by big powers and they are misused by them, they are not able to take any step towards establishment of peace, justice, brotherhood and observance of all peoples' rights.

Recently we witnessed that a so-called international court which shall move in direction of justice and observation of rights of all nations, and bring aggressors and perpetrators to justice, set a dangerous precedent and issue a warrant for the distinguished President of Sudan, Head of one the NAM Member States, hoping to meet the demands of certain powers.

This occurs while the Zionist criminals openly announce that they intend to murder innocent people or attack defenseless children and women; the criminals who deprive a mass population from food and medicine are not legally pursued; and heads of certain powerful states that, during their office, have caused murder and injury of millions of people enjoy full immunity before the law.

These are indicative of, merely, a part of the failure and inefficiencies of the existing international structures in dealing with the international problems and challenges. Any way, still, we can find glimmers of hope.

Today every body has reached to this conclusion that existing situation can not continue and be tolerated and passing it over we shall enter a new era. Signs of relevant developments in the international scene are quite visible. Big and bullying powers are falling and their influences are diluting day by day. They have reached to their end and a new horizon has emerged.

We are entering an era in which morality, justice and adherence to law, human dignity, love and brotherhood supersede. An era in which rights of all nations are respected and aggression, occupation, injustice and discrimination are rejected; an era in which pious and rightful powers manage the global affairs in a manner that all people can feel and enjoy peace and security.

Today we can witness peoples' further desire to monotheism and promotion of moralities,

spiritualities and justice based ideas on daily basis. This is the divine tradition that everything that the all nations wish for shall realize at end.

Distinguished Colleagues,

NAM, with 120 Member States, relying on its progressive prime causes, can play remarkable role under present conditions and compensate a part of inefficiencies of the existing international structures. Political, economic and cultural capacities of the Member States can produce a valuable output; a clean power which shall defend peace and justice. Our movement shall, relying on its political and economic capacity, play effective role in settling global problems. Our movement is able to do the following:

-   To form the arbitration board in order to settle possible differences among members or mediate between them in order to solve the conflicts or disputes.

-   To form a great front of peace and justice in order to prevent appearance or intensification of conflicts and disputes in the world and take fruitful strides towards establishment of real peace and justice.

-   To defend any Member States vis-à-vis possible aggressions and use peaceful means to defend against or to avert the aggressions.

-   To use political and economic tools with the purpose to prevent big powers aggressions against other nations and remove any discrimination or injustice.

-   To define and introduce certain mechanisms in reforming the existing international political, social and economic structures.

-   To establish a joint Fund for providing the Member States with financial resources to be spent for implementation of different economic and development plans and projects.

-   To coordinate and activate great political, economic, cultural and media capacities of the Member States to the benefit of their nations as well as global peace and security.

Based on what was mentioned, today NAM may use its exquisite status and play its deserved role in settling global problems more than ever before filling the gap caused by inefficiency of the international organizations and introducing itself as a movement in the forefront of the move towards peace and justice.

Excellencies,

Distinguished Participants,

In conclusion, I wish to quote a Quranic verse which says:

"The Almighty never changes the condition of a people until they intend to change it themselves"; and reiterate that any action towards reform of the global conditions, securing interests of the Member States, shall not be possible unless their people wish and move towards collective cooperation. I am confident that all NAM member states enjoy the required will to push forward their great and prime targets. I hope the present conference reach its desired conclusions.

I again thank you for your participation. Please consider Iran as your country.I also hope that you find the opportunity to visit different Iranian tourist attractions.

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* President of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Opening Ceremony of the 15th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement