BOSNIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER SVEN ALKALAJ ATTENDED 15-TH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE OF THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT

TEHRAN, Iran (July 31,2008) - The Bosnian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Alkalaj atteneded the 15th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement that took place in Teheran,Iran, from July 27th to 30th.

The Conference was opened by the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmedinejad.

Alkalaj used this opportunity in Teheran for the bilateral meetings, as well as for asking for support to Bosnia's candidacy for the non-permanent member of the UN Council for Security for the period 2010 - 2011, it was announced from the Bosnian Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

In his talk with the Bosnian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Alkalaj in Teheran, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Manucher Mottaki said that Iranian business circles were interested in investing in Bosnia.

During their meeting, which took place as a part of the 15th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement, the two confirmed that the political relations between Bosnia and Iran were adequate and expressed the desire to further improve bilateral relations and realize greater economic cooperation.

Alkalaj congratulated Mottaki on the organization of the Ministerial Conference and expressed satisfaction for taking part in it and establishing connections with representatives of a large number of member countries of the Movement.

On the margins of the Conference Minister Alkalaj also talked with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Africa and the two established the need to improve bilateral relations in all areas.

Bosnia has an observer status in the Non-Aligned Movement.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is an international organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. It was founded in April 1955; as of 2007, it has 118 members.

The purpose of the organization 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, racism, Zionism, and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony as well as against great power and bloc politics."

They represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nations's members and comprise 55 percent of the world population.
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