"UNION MINISTER for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin participated at the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordination Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held in Caracas, Venezuela from 20 to 21 July 2019 and delivered a statement in the debate under the theme “Promotion and Consolidation of Peace through Respect for International Law”. The Ministerial Meeting was presided over by the current Chair of the Movement, Minister of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and attended by 78 Member States of the Movement and 4 observer States and 7 international organizations and 2 countries as special guests. Union Minister U Kyaw Tin made a statement in the first session of the debate of the Ministerial Meeting on 20 July 2019 recalling that the Non-Aligned Movement was founded based on the Bandung Principles at the height of the Cold War and had envisaged a peaceful and prosperous world and a just and equitable order where states can determine independently their own destinies. Regardless of the profound changes of the world, he added, the founding principles and purposes of the Movement still remained relevant and valid. He emphasized the importance for all NAM member states to remain committed to the core principles of the Movement, especially the principles of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity, justice, equality and mutual respect among nations without interfering in the internal affairs of another country and settlement of disputes by peaceful means. In today’s world, developing countries are still far from enjoying the right to determine their own destiny or resolve their own internal problems in their own way best suited to their own circumstances. Even some of the United Nations today are focusing more on retribution than helping the countries resolve their problems by peaceful means. It is the duty of the United Nations to help in bringing conflicting communities together rather than making them further apart. The unity of the Movement is therefore of paramount importance to stand up together against their common challenges. He also urged the NAM member states to be careful not to allow anyone to misuse the platform of the Movement to serve one’s own political agenda against other member states. The Union Minister stated that observance of the principles of international law applicable to each member state is of utmost importance for the maintenance of the world peace and security. He reminded, however, that application of international law must be based on principles of objectivity, impartiality and avoidance of double standard. He expressed serious concern over the claim of jurisdiction of ICC to a country which is not a party to the Rome Statute, citing the 1969 UN Vienna Convention on International Treaties which clearly states that “no treaty can be imposed on a country that has not ratified it”. The extension of the jurisdiction to a non-party may have a reverberating effect to all non-parties and challenges the long established legal principles such as legal certainty. It will also run counter to the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and set a very dangerous precedence in international law..."