Monday, May 29 2006 11:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Putrajaya (Malaysia): Accusing western countries of adopting 'double standards' for trying to squash Iran's nuclear programme, Non Aligned Movement Chairperson Malaysian Premier Abdullah Badawi today (May 29, 2006) said Tehran's right todevelop peaceful nuclear technology must be recognised.

"There should not be any selectivity or double standards, There should only be one set of rules for all," Badawi said inaugurating the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement, held ahead of the NAMsummit scheduled to take place in Havana, Cuba in Septemberthis year.

The Non-Aligned movement grouping must recognise Iran's right to develop its nuclear technology programme for peaceful purposes, he said adding NAM has and will continue to defend the basic and inalienable right of all states parties of theNPT to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Senior Officials from NAM countries have been deliberating over a statement to be issued on Iran's nuclear ambitions at the end of the two-day meet, which is being attended by foreign ministers of member states, including Minister of State of External Affairs Anand Sharma.

According to the Malaysian Prime Minister allowing Israel to develop nuclear weapons with 'impunity' while others in the region were prohibited from doing so was a blatant case of double standard.

Referring to the menace of terrorism, Badawi blamed the actions of some of the 'big powers' which violated international laws and norms of civilised conduct, noting that these actions had caused the ranks of international terrorism to swell in the process."

"Terrorism must not be dealt with in an arbitrary, selective and cavalier manner but holistically," he said.

He suggested that the problem was best dealt with through the United Nations with the cooperation of all members of the international community.

The NAM Chairman feared that the UN's authority could be undermined and rendered irrevelant if the tendency to resort to unilateral action in international relations continued.

"We have noticed this tendency of working outside of the ambit of the UN when the sanction of the security council could not be obtained," he said.

He declared that with changing times, NAM too will have to reform itself.

"We can do this without abandoning the fundamental pricniples of the movement," he added.

In his address on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, Deputy Foreign Minister of South Africa, Aziz Pahad, said the biggest challenge for the UN had been the spending cap that had been imposed on the secretary general in carrying out his duties.

He hoped that to avoid a crisis within the UN and its operational activities around the world, the spending cap would be automatically lifted by end June 2006 when the secretary general would request more resources to fulfil his mandate.