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Social content: a binding force
Q.
The Lima Conference of the Foreign Ministers of Non-aligned Countries is considered crucial in all parts of the world, particularly because of the U.N. session immediately after it, where the question of giving a practical shape to a new international economic order will come up for discussion. What are the issues before the Lima Conference and in what manner can the Conference contribute to make the forthcoming U.N. debate meaningful?
A.
An important question for discussion at Lima will be joint action which Non-aligned Countries should take together with other developing countries for achieving concrete results at the seventh special session of the U.N. The developing countries of the "Group of 77" have been engaged in internal consultations in New York and Geneva. A position paper has been evolved, on the basis of which initial contacts with the developed countries are taking place. It is our hope that agreement can be reached at the seventh special session by a process of co-operation and conciliation on some specific goals and targets to be achieved for ushering in the new world economic order. Within the framework of this global agreement, more detailed negotiations can then be undertaken in the relevant U.N. forums.
The Foreign Ministers assembled at Lima will naturally review the progress made in the consultations at Geneva and New York. In the light of this review, they will establish further guidelines, along which the non-aligned and the developing countries should proceed at the Seventh Special Session.
The purpose of the Lima Conference is not only preparation, for the seventh special session. International economic problems will be considered in a comprehensive manner. Recent economic crises have placed a number of developing countries in a critical situation. India is one of the countries gravely affected by an unprecedented balance of payments problem caused by world shortage of essential items like food, fertilizer and fuel and escalating world prices. The non-aligned countries have been considering the manner in which co-operation amongst us can be promoted, and in devising means by which we can help each other, making fuller use of the resources and technology available with us for mutual benefit. We hope that the Lima Conference will be able to agree on a concrete programme of action. This will be a further affirmation and strengthening of our solidarity.