India to US: NAM still relevant

Rejecting the views of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the Government said that as a founder member of NAM India is committed to its ideals while being equally interested in developing cooperation with the US.

8220;We don8217;t believe that the NAM movement has lost its relevance,8221; External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Jalpaiguri in West Bengal. 8220;It has acquired contemporary relevance in fostering cooperation among developing nations, particularly known as South-South cooperation,8221; he said.

Rice had said that New Delhi should dump NAM and 8220;move past old ways of thinking and old ways of acting8221; to create a partnership for the future of Indo-US relations. 8220;There is no apparent contradiction in expanding cooperation and democracy of the world and NAM,8221; Mukherjee said.

Subtly rejecting Rice8217;s advice, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna underlined that New Delhi 8220;remains committed to its NAM ideals8221; and its 8220;firm and abiding commitment8221; to non-alignment could not be questioned.

Political parties, including the ruling Congress and the Government8217;s Left allies8212;CPIM and CPI8212;hit out at Rice for her 8220;gratuitous advice8221; and said India need not be lectured on foreign policy.