1985 Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference

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The 1985 Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference () was held in Luanda, capital of Angola from 4 to 7 September with the senior officials meeting being held on 2 and 3 September. The organization of the conference in the circumstances of the ongoing Angolan Civil War was described as a large scale organizational undertaking and a considerable achievement.

Summary
The Conference was the seventh meeting of foreign ministers of the Non-Aligned movement. The successful organization of the event was perceived as a boost for the MPLA which effectively prevented disruption of the event by UNITA. Issues discussed at the conference included the situation in South Africa, great power rivalry, Middle East situation, question of Palestine, peace in Lebanon and other. Representative of Singapore Yeo Cheow Tong highlighted the issue of the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia describing Cambodia, Afghanistan and Central America as targets of exploitation by external powers. The conference confirmed the choice of the city of Harare as the host of the upcoming 8th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement showing additional solidarity with the countries affected by the policies of the apartheid regime. Indonesia as well initially expressed its own wish to host the upcoming summit but withdrew its candidacy in the interest of Zimbabwe. President José Eduardo dos Santos warned member states to keep their unity in face of imperialism which wants to use inner quarrels divide the movement.

The final document invited member states to work on the creation of the new information order in which UNESCO's support shall play a prominent role. Gathered delegations took a minute's silence for Indira Gandhi and Forbes Burnham. The final document of the conference which called upon the white minority government in Pretoria to pay compensation to Angola for the damage caused to life and property was subsequently approved by the United Nations Security Council.

Central Intelligence Agency expressed expectation that the United States will come under sharp criticism initiated by Cuba and some of African countries in relation to its position on Palestine, black liberation in Namibia and South Africa, establishment of the New International Economic Order and the Strategic Defense Initiative. The Agency believed that the event will serve NAM member states to prepare coordinated approach at the United Nations General Assembly session. It also described SFR Yugoslavia as a frontrunner for the upcoming 8th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (the country will eventually host 9th Summit) expecting it to become the first country in history to host the summit twice. CIA noted Belgrade's unwillingness to more explicitly distance itself from the radical wing of the movement under the fear for its position in the movement as one of only three European member states.

Participants

Member states
Participating member states were:

Afghanistan
Algeria
Angola
Argentina
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Colombia
Comoros
Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)
Cyprus
Cuba
North Korea
Democratic Yemen
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Jordan
Kenya
Kuwait
Laos
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Oman
Palestine Liberation Organization
Pakistan
Panama
Peru
Qatar
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
South West Africa People's Organization
Syria
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
Tanzania
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Yemen
SFR Yugoslavia
Zaire, later Congo-Kinshasa (post-1997)
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Observers
Participating observers were: Brazil, Philippines, Mexico, United Nations, Organisation of African Unity, African National Congress, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Guests
Guest delegations at the event were:

Austria
Finland
Holy See
Portugal
Romania
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organisation
Arab League
Organization of the Islamic Conference
International Committee of the Red Cross
UNESCO
United Nations Council for Namibia
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Industrial Development Organization

References