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Non-Aligned Movement Summit Wraps Up Saturday in Havana
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?r=279&ctl=13F91EB:A6F02AD83191E1603B9F47D7A485069E9574F7DCC14957C0 Members expected
to call for reform of UN Security Council The annual Non-Aligned
Movement summit wraps up Saturday in Havana, Cuba with the 118 members
expected to call for reform of the U.N. Security Council.

The leaders of Cuba, Venezuela and Iran all made speeches Friday
criticizing the United States for its influence on the U.N. Security
Council, and for its foreign policies.







U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (file photo)U.N. Secretary-General
Kofi Annan addressed the summit leaders, saying the Security Council
must be more responsive to less powerful countries. He said the narrow
power base of five permanent members on the Council risks leading to
the erosion of the U.N.'s authority and legitimacy.

Annan also noted positive changes in developing nations in recent
years, but he said the Non-Aligned Movement's growing influence means
its leaders must take more responsibility internationally, and to
protect their people at home.

The United States, Britain, France, China and Russia are the five
permanent members with veto power on the 15-member U.N. Security
Council.

The Non-Aligned Movement was established more than four decades ago
with the aim of avoiding alignment with the United States or the
Soviet Union during the Cold War.

It is not clear if 80-year-old Cuban President Fidel Castro, who is
recovering from recent surgery, will make an appearance at the Havana
summit Saturday.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters


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