10 August 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert will join the other foreign ministers of the member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in the XIV NAM Ministerial Conference on 19 August 2004 in Durban, South Africa.  The theme for this year’s meeting is “Challenges for Multilateralism in the 21st Century.” The Secretary said that she would also be meeting with her counterparts to discuss bilateral and other issues. She will be meeting in particular her counterparts from the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), to discuss the latest developments relating to the country’s bid for observer status in the OIC

The Secretary said that this year’s meting of NAM and its theme is very relevant in the face of increasing impressions that the relations between states are being defined in terms of unilateralism. “This meeting comes at a time when the world must assess and address growing tendencies by some states to address issues independently of other states who are or could be affected by these issues.  While I believe that multilateralism is still the prevailing attitude, we must prevent any possible rise of unilateralism, particularly in today’s increasingly interdependent world.”

“As the predominant organization that represents the interests of the third world in global politics, NAM is unique placed to be the vanguard of multilateralism,” the Secretary said. “Universal consensus is difficult to achieve on many pressing issues, but this should not be an excuse for unilateralism,” she added.  The Secretary said great care should be taken, however, in avoiding characterizing actions by strategic alliances or by regional groups as unilateralism.

The Secretary said that in the context of multilateralism, she would be joining other ASEAN foreign ministers in promoting regionalism in NAM.  “We have specific language in the draft NAM Ministerial Declaration that focuses on ASEAN and its role in maintaining peace and security as well as in promoting growth and development in the region.  I will be joining my counterparts in ASEAN in pushing for this language.  Regionalism is an important component of multilateralism and contributes to strengthening the values and ideals behind multilateralism,” the Secretary said. END.