120 NAM Member States condemn Zionist regime actions

Baku, April 7, IRNA - The 18th foreign ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement concluded its work in Baku Friday with a final statement condemning the Zionist regime's illegal policies and its actions against the Palestinian people. The statement also condemned the occupying regime of Israel for its actions against the Palestinian people such as illegal construction and expansion of settlements, demolition of the houses and properties of the Palestinian people and imposition of collective punishment for civilians such as arrest and imprisonment of thousands of civilians. Some 800 representatives from 120 Member States, 17 observer countries and 10 international organizations participated in the NAM meeting held in the Azerbaijani capital from April 5-6. The participants also condemned the Zionist regime for disturbing the normal life of Palestinian people by erecting security inspection centers and illegally laying siege on Gaza Strip. They also expressed sorrow over the killing and wounding of hundreds of Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli occupying troops in recent days. Elsewhere in the statement, the foreign ministers of the NAM Member States vowed to continue their efforts for dismantling all weapons of mass destruction particularly the nuclear arms throughout the world and for making the world free from such weapons. They also voiced support for all countries' right to make use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and for their economic development. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who led a high level delegation at the NAM meeting returned to Tehran Friday. 1378/IRNA