1985 Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference
# 1985 Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference

The 1985 Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference (Portuguese: 1985 Conferência Ministerial do Movimento dos Países Não-Alinhados) 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
