Egyptian FM: Iran's presence in NAM vital

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Monday termed Iran's presence in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) as vital.

Abul Gheit made the remark at a press conference prior to NAM foreign ministerial meeting which opened in Sharm el-Sheikh, today.

He said Iran has been an important country in NAM and will continue its positive role in future, adding Iran will take the helm of the movement in 2012.

The Egyptian foreign minister underlined that NAM meeting could play a key role in strengthening ties between Iran and Egypt.

“Iran will replace Egypt as the chairman of the movement in 2012,” he said.

Referring to the absence of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the NAM Summit, Abul Gheit underlined that bonds among the member countries will remain stable despite the absence of some leaders from the summit.

NAM foreign ministerial meeting opened in Sharm el-Sheikh in the presence of Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Monday evening.

Mottaki arrived in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh in the early hours of Monday.

The meeting will conclude its work on July 14.

At the meeting, Egypt will take over the presidency of the movement from Cuba.

Founded in 1955, NAM has 118 member states that represent 56 percent of the world's population.

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