The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has strongly condemned the recent move by some European countries to refuse their airspace to the plane carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales as a grave violation of his diplomatic immunity.
In a Monday statement, the NAM Coordination Center in New York further expressed the organizationâ„¢s Å“deep concern” over the incident on July 2, when France, Spain, Portugal and Italy refused to allow the Bolivian presidential plane, which was en route to Bolivia from Moscow, to cross their airspace over Å“suspicions” that the US National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden may be on board.
Calling the forced-landing in Vienna of the aircraft Å“a serious incident,” the 120-member state movement expressed outrage over Å“endangering the life of the president of a developing country and his entourage despite the fact that government leaders and the aircraft carrying them are under immunity based on international law.”
The statement further censured the action of the Western European countries as Å“an insult on a sovereign country” and an offense against the rights of an official that is protected by diplomatic immunity.
At the time of the incident, President Morales was returning home after attending the Summit of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Moscow, where the American leaker of NSAâ„¢s massive surveillance operations reportedly resides following intense US efforts to have him captured or extradited.
Following the forced rerouting and emergency landing of the presidential plane in Vienna, Austria, Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said that the life of President Morales had been put in danger by the action.
Meanwhile, NAM member states, according to its statement, further expressed Å“firm solidarity” with fellow member state Bolivia and its president, calling on all countries to respect the sovereignty of other states, international law and the regulations governing peaceful coexistence of all nations.
Leaders and officials of Argentina, Ecuador, Suriname, Venezuela, Brazil and Uruguay joined President Morales in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba on July 4 to condemn the illegal European action against Morales, demanding a formal apology from France, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
The Latin American leaders expressed outrage over the incident, dismissing it as a violation of national sovereignty.
Following the meeting, Morales said, Å“United, we will defeat American imperialism. We met with the leaders of my party and they asked us for several measures and if necessary, we will close the embassy of the United States.”
Å“We do not need the embassy of the United States.”
In a joint statement read after the gathering, the Latin American leaders also said they would back Boliviaâ„¢s official complaint with the UN Human Rights Commission.
MFB/HSN/HJL
Republished with permission from: Press TV