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1.1 The Preparatory Meeting at Ambassadorial/Senior Officials Level of the Twelfth Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Countries met in Durban, South Africa, on 29-30 August 1998.

1.2 As Chair of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, Ambassador Londono of Colombia, welcomed delegates to the Conference and invited the South African Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Alfred Nzo, to join the meeting. Minister Nzo cordially welcomed the ambassadors and senior officials taking part in the Preparatory Meeting. He emphasized ‘inter alia’ the need for the South to firmly engage the new environment from its own perspective with positive and forward-looking action orientated programmes.

1.3 Ambassador Londono handed the Chair of the Meeting over to Mr J S Selebi, South African Director General of Foreign Affairs, who expressed appreciation and praise for the important work done by Colombia as Chair of the Movement.

2. Adoption of the Agenda (2^nd Item on the Agenda)

The Ambassadorial/Senior Officials Meeting adopted the following Agenda:

2.1 Opening

2.2 Adoption of the Agenda

2.3 Report of Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Countries

2.4 Consideration of the recommendations regarding the preparations for the Twelfth Conference of Heads of State/Government:

2.4.1 Provisional agenda
2.4.2 Organisation of work
2.4.3 Election of officers
2.4.4 Application for admission of new members and participation by observers

2.5 Consideration of the provisional agenda for the Preparatory Meeting at Ministerial level.

2.6 Consideration and adoption of the report of the Preparatory Meeting at Ambassadorial/Senior Official Level to the Preparatory Meeting at Ministerial level.

2.7 Other Matters

3. Report on the Coordinating Bureau (3^rd Item on the Agenda)

3.1 Ambassador Londono as Chair of the Coordinating Bureau presented the "Report of the Coordinating Bureau", to the Preparatory meeting at Ambassadorial/Senior Officials Level. The Report was circulated as document DS/SOM/3.

4. Consideration of recommendations regarding preparations for the Twelfth Conference of Heads of State or Government (4^th Item on the Agenda)

4.1 The delegates considered and agreed to forward to the Ministerial Meeting the following recommendations regarding the preparations for the Twelfth Conference of Heads of State or Government.

4.1.1 Provisional agenda
4.1.2 Organisation of work
In the Interest of expediting work on the Draft Final Document, it was suggested that two informal open working groups be formed, under the coordination of the host country, for an initial reading of the revision of the said draft final document. The first group was given the first two chapters and the second group took the last two chapters.
4.1.3 Election of Officers
The following officers were recommended:

4.1.3.1 Vice Chair
- Africa: Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and Sudan
- Asia: Bangladesh, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, India, Pakistan, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Syria and Vietnam
- Latin America and the Caribbean: Colombia, Peru, Suriname and Guyana
- Europe: Cyprus and Malta
4.1.3.2 Rapporteur-General: H.E. Mr Edward McKenzie of Trinidadand Tobago
4.1.3.3 Chair of the Political Committee: Islamic Republic of Iran
4.1.3.4 Chair of the Economic and Social Committee: United Republic of Tanzania
4.1.3.5 The Conference recommended that Colombia, as outgoing Chair, be made an ex-officio member of the Bureau, as is customary in the Movement.

4.1.4 Admission of new members and participation as observers.

4.1.4.1 As agreed at the meeting of the Coordinating Bureau held in New York on 12 August, 1998, the Preparatory Meeting at Ambassadorial/Senior Official Level decided to recommend that the Preparatory Meeting of the Non-Aligned Countries:
- Accept Belarus as a Member of the Movement.
- Accept the requests of Belarus, China, Brazil and the Ukraine to address the Summit level meeting as observers.

5. Consideration of the provisional agenda of the Preparatory Meeting at Ministerial Level (5^th Item on the Agenda)

5.1 After consideration of the provisional agenda of the Preparatory Meeting at Ambassadorial/Senior level the following agenda for the Preparatory meeting at Ministerial level was recommended:

5.1.1 Opening
5.1.2 Adoption of the agenda
5.1.3 Report by the Chair of the Preparatory Meeting at Ambassadorial/Senior Official Level
5.1.4 Consideration of recommendations regarding the preparations for the Twelfth Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Countries

5.1.4.1 Provisional Agenda
5.1.4.2 Election of Officers
5.1.4.3 Organisation of work
5.1.4.4 Admission of new members and participation by observers
5.1.4.5 Draft Final Document

5.1.5 Round table discussion on the Report of the Ad Hoc Panel of Economists.
5.1.6 Consideration and adoption of the Report of the Preparatory Meeting at Ministerial Level of the Twelfth Summit Conference.
5.1.7 Other Matters

6. Consideration and adoption of the Report of the Preparatory Meeting at Ambassadorial/Senior Officials Level to the Preparatory Meeting at Ministerial Level (6^th Item on the Agenda).

6.1 The Preparatory Meeting at Ambassadorial/Senior Officials Level adopted the report of the Meeting to be presented to the Preparatory Meeting at Ministerial Level for consideration.

7. Other Matters (7^th Item on the Agenda)

No issues were raised.

8. Mr Selebi thanked delegates for their participation and important contributions to the meeting.