Introduction
The forthcoming Tenth NAM Summit in Djakarta, the capital of Indonesia will be a turning point in the history of the Non-Aligned Movement. This is the first summit after the end of cold war; and the third summit to be held in Asia coincidently in the country which gave birth to the "Bandung Spirit" thirty-seven years ago where the seeds of Non-Aligned Movement were germinated.
Although three years is a speck in history, yet the miraculous events the globe witnessed within this three years, are unparalleled and make a watershed in comparison with previous several decades. The once mighty Soviet Union had faded into history. In its place fifteen new independent republics have emerged. The Socialist camp is no more. The incumbent Chairman of NAM - Yugoslavia; is fragmented and two of its six constituent republics which form Yugoslavia faces sanctions for "genocide" in the ongoing civil war.
Even after the celebration with much fan fare by the West the first Anniversary of the "Victorious Desert Storm", Saddam Hussein still holds his fortress "in greater" strength according to a CIA based report, haunting as a nightmare for the "World's only Superpower Leader", whose. survival is challenged by an obscure dark horse in his own citadel. As time passes, many unrevealed truths including huge financial transactions are being unearthed related to the whole problem around Gulf crisis before and after the war.
The recession in the richest nations has yet to overcome. The latest UN report depicts a gloomy picture of world economic recovery which says among others that excessive reliance on free market economics will result in more unemployment and instability. Both economic and political contradictions are emerging among rich developed countries, their repercussions over spilling to other nations. In addition to self-motivated and isolationist behavior, detrimental to humankind as performed at the Earth Summit in Rio by the United States, Amnesty International has reprimanded the U.S. Human Rights record and others have expressed horror at the laws passed for "Constitutional kidnapping", while it continue to preach the gospel of democracy and human values in addition to project guide lines and conditionalities for governability of the Third World countries for receiving economic and development aid.
The oft spoken "New World Order" has turned out to be a mirage specially for the Third World, as they are threatened with victimisation including loss of sovereignty and freedom by the World's Policeman" .
Cold War has ended, but the problem of the Third World have got more aggravated. Based on the "Bandung Spirit" as the guiding philosophy of the NAM, it had made significant achievements during the three decades although all the targets have not been fulfilled. It is in this background that the overwhelming majority of humankind are looking with expectations to the outcome of the 10th NAM Summit.
AAPSO having observer status in the NAM from its inception as the "peoples' wing" of the movement has to be much more concerned about its future orientation. It was in view of this that the Permanent Secretariat of AAPSO organised a special Round Table in Cairo. the seat of its Head Quarters on the 17th of June 1992, as a feed up to formulate its own strategy in the new situation.
The Round Table was attended by Several Ambassadors accredited to Cairo, keeping with the criteria of inviting those countries which hosted the NAM Summit, experts in this field, prominent personalities and journalists. This brochure contains their speeches, and the dialogue. The Permanent Secretariat of AAPSO believes that the different trends reflected in the discussion will assist to create an awareness about the NAM both by the leaders of the states and the people of the NAM countries for the consolidation of the movement for the task ahead.
In the annex of the brochure, we have included, a resume of a discussion taken place at the Head Quarters and also a clipping from "AI Ahram" Weekly (English) written by Mr. Mohamed Sid Ahmed on the Round Table and a reproduction of an article from "AI Wafd" Newspaper written by Mr. Nabil Zaki, Deputy Editor in Chief
of "AI Akhbar" Newspaper.
E. A. Vidyasekera,
Secretary and Coordinator,
Permanent Secretariat of AAPSO.
July 1992