Two-day Summit rekindles spirit of Non-Aligned Movement:

New era of Afro-Asian unity dawns in Jakarta

FROM RODNEY Martinez in Jakarta

LEADERS of 90 Asian-African countries will meet today at a historic summit to revive and re-invigorate the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in the backdrop of a new world order.

The Asian-African Summit 2005 and the commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of the Asian-African Conference 1955, Indonesia will be ceremonially declared open today by the President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono following a minute's silence for tsunami victims.

The participants at today's summit have vowed to re-dedicate themselves to the aims of NAM and push forward an agenda to re-kindle the flame of Movement which champions the cause of developing countries.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse arrived in Jakarta yesterday evening and was immediately whisked away to the Grand Melia, Jakarta Hilton housing most of the leaders and delegates under tight security.

The Premier is also scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the summit whilst also meeting Nepal's King Gayanendra and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loo.

The opening session which will be addressed by UN Secretory General Kofi Annan will be followed by the Plenary sessions that will focus on the New Asian-African strategic partnership.

Wednesday's Asian-African Ministerial meeting saw the participation of 86 Asian-African countries where deliberations centred on practical ways and means of promoting a strategic partnership between Asia and Africa.

The Ministers also agreed to take various steps and cooperative measures that would promote peace and stability in both regions and prevent conflict through peaceful means. They also agreed to take steps to reduce poverty among peoples of both continents and promote greater flows of direct Asian-African trade and investment.

During the meeting the delegates did not fail bring up the impact of the recent tsunami on several countries in Africa and Asia, including host Indonesia. They stressed the need for the Asian-African Summit to address the issue of natural disasters in order to minimise future casualties.

Reflecting the sense of urgency on this matter, the Foreign Ministers prepared a joint Asian-African leaders statement on tsunami, earthquake and other natural disasters for consideration by the leaders.

Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar figured prominently in these deliberations.

Bandung 1955 was the precursor to the Non-Aligned Movement which groups some 107 countries of the Asian and Asian region to play an effective role as a bulwark against the fallout of super power tensions.

For Premier Rajapakse the summit would no doubt bring back pleasant memories having had a ringside view of proceedings of one of the most successful NAM summits, as a young MP in the Government of late Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1976.

The NAM Summit was held at the newly constructed BMICH that year. The centrepiece of the celebrations will take place on April 24, Sunday when around 60 Heads of State from Asia and Africa would make a nostalgic journey to the West Java Provincial capital of Bandung where leaders of two continents proclaimed the famous 10 principles 50 years ago.