NAM XV Summit begins in Egypt

Chamikara Weerasinghe

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will travel today to Sharm El-Sheikh in the Arab Republic of Egypt to attend the Fifteenth (XV) Summit Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

The President is expected to brief Heads of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on the situation in Sri Lanka as he participates at the Summit on July 14 and 15, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

President Rajapaksa will be leading the Sri Lankan delegation to the Summit comprising Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and other senior officials, said the spokesman.

The theme of the Summit is "International Solidarity and Peace for Development".

Among the key issues to be discussed during the Summit are the present global challenges and international developments in the sphere of peace and security, disarmament, climate change, human rights and rule of law, economic development and in particular the effects of the current global financial and economic crises on developing countries.

Meanwhile,Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama yesterday left for Egypt to participate the Non -Alignment Movement's Ministerial Meeting starting on July 13.

He is also to meet several Foreign Ministers and other dignitaries on the sidelines of the NAM Summit for bi-lateral talks, the spokesman said.

Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona had participated the Summits on going session of Senior Officials Meeting which started on July 10, Ministry sources said.

The 15th NAM Summit will be attended by 118 member states.

The Non Aligned Movement was founded in 1955 to ensure the independence and security of non-aligned countries.