However, the existing international situation is demonstrating every day that reality is not as simple and convincing as many claimed before.

Despite having this rhetoric the 14th NAM Summit is being held in Havana from September 11 to 16. According to the press most of the 116 member states of the Non-Aligned Movement are attending this Summit. Cuban ministry of foreign affairs said that a good number of these nations are represented by their heads of state or government. The secretary general of the United Nations, along with general secretaries of the Arab League and the president of the African Union enriched the attendance while an additional 15 countries are participating as observer, along with five international organisations and two liberation movements. It is also expected that NAM membership would increase to 118 during the summit in Cuba, with the inclusion of Haiti and St. Kitts and Nevis.

The 14th NAM Summit is taking place at a time when the world is in a unipolar condition, more different than it was 25 years ago, when the sixth summit was also held in the Cuban capital.

Considering all the limitations and difficulties of the present international situation, it is almost clear to all that NAM is the one political tool that the Third World countries have.

The purpose of the organisation as stated in the Havana Declaration of 1979 is to ensure 'the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Non-Aligned countries in their struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, apartheid, racism, Zionism and all forms of aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony as well as against great power bloc politics.' NAM also focuses on eradication of poverty and economic development of the member countries.

Now the whole world is facing a serious danger of imperialist war and occupation, unleashed by the US under the doctrine of so called 'unilateral attack' and 'limited sovereignty'. It clearly indicates that the use of force still prevails and there is lack of respect for sovereignty and the right of nations to independence. NAM created in 1961 at the height of the then cold war, boldly declared its five principles, which were

a. Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty

b. Mutual non-aggression

c. Mutual non-interference in domestic affairs

d. Equality and mutual benefit

e. Peaceful co-existence

The present scenarios of the global politics clearly show that these five principles are still valid and relevant for almost all the nations of the world. In reality, the common people of the world are still crying everyday to establish these principles.

It is true that from 1961 to 2006 and from Bandung to Havana, the history of NAM travelled through many ups and downs. The founding fathers of the NAM, the five great world leaders: Tito of former Yugoslavia, Sukarno of Indonesia, Nasser of Egypt, Nkrumah of Ghana and Nehru of India might not imagine this at such level. As a precursor of the NAM spirit when India is accelerating its military and nuclear ties with USA and addressing the upcoming summit when its ambassador to Cuba says "we are looking for partners -- not for ex-enemies", what should we ask to the others of NAM?

As said by the Cuban deputy foreign minister Abelardo Moreno that one of the challenges facing the NAM is to work with the "characteristics and positions that exist today". He also noted that another challenge facing the movement over the next three year is 'to put aside national idiosyncrasies and interests' and to work with 'a spirit of solidarity, unity and cohesion' for the benefit of all.

Despite having all the challenges NAM still has the potentiality for playing a vital role at UN level. The NAM countries currently make up nearly two-thirds members of the United Nations. This can make it a significant catalyst in UN policy making process.

That's why the movement can take a common position regarding many crucial issues, such as economic development, foreign debt and nuclear proliferation etc. It is a great sign of optimism that as the next president of NAM Cuba is expressing its will to do all that it can to revitalise prestige of NAM and to catalyse the organisation to achieve goals for which the international community is eagerly waiting.

Hasan Tarique Chowdhury is a peace and solidarity activist. E-mail: htarique@gmail.com ]