Developing countries should keep alert against being
marginalized in the process of modernization, some Asian ranking
officials said Friday at the Asia High-Level Symposium on Threats,
Challenge and Change being held in Hangzhou,capital city of east
China's Zhejiang
Province.
At the symposium, which opened Friday, 11 members of the panel
of eminent persons on UN reform and the UN's role as well as some
33 senior officials and renowned experts and scholars from nearly
20 countries held wide discussion on the threats and challenge
brought by modernization to the world peace and security, and
reached broad consensus.
Participants shared the view that modernization brought about
new and more complicated challenges for the international community
and international situation.
The present world is not only challenged by traditional security
factors, such as conflicts and war between countries, but also
menaced by non-traditional security elements, including terrorism,
cross-border crimes, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,
abject poverty and AIDS, they said.
These traditional and non-traditional security factors are
interrelated rather than isolated, which has increased the
complexity of the international security situation, they said.
Under the trend of modernization, the security situation of all
the countries and regions is closely related and, therefore, they
said they should take collective measures to cope with the threats
and challenge.
Many participants said that for most developing countries,
poverty still remains the most pressing issue. Due to the challenge
posed by modernization, the domestic economic and social
development of a number of developing countries is in an
unfavorable condition, they said.
Some participants noted that the developing countries should
promote the balanced development of economy, society and culture.
Meanwhile, they said, the developed countries should show their
readiness to intensify assistance to the developing countries.
Participants all held that the United Nations, as a universal
and authoritative international organization, plays a positive role
in maintaining peace and boosting development in the world, and
should play a bigger role under the new situation.
Some eminent persons also acknowledged that challenges faced by
different countries are different owing to varying domestic
situation. However, all challenges should be treated equally and
not with double standards.
Since the international situation has undergone drastic changes,
according to some participant, the UN itself should advance with
the times, enhance its work efficiency and strengthen its
function.
The three-day meeting will also hold discussions on collective
actions against the threats and challenges, as well as the UN's
operation, coordination and reform.
(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2004)