He said while negotiations on all issues had to proceed, progress achieved on less difficult issues would help build the momentum needed to move UN reform forward.

The group released a statement focusing on UN reforms yesterday.

On the back of the G77 and China meeting, Kantathi attended a two-day ministerial meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM-CoB) in Putrajaya, which began yesterday.

Dubbed "Towards a More Dynamic and Cohesive NAM: Challenges of the 21st Century", ministers from 114 countries got together to exchange ideas for the group's new roles in the face of new challenges.

"We have done less than we could have done," said Malaysia Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during his keynote address, adding he wanted to see NAM becoming more dynamic and relevant to the new faces in this era of globalisation.

Kantathi said Thailand wanted to see a greater role for NAM when it came to reaching out to the people of member countries, particularly on non-traditional security issues, including natural disasters, human trafficking and the threat of an influenza pandemic.

Kantathi asked for support for the Thai candidate for the UN's top post.

"The next UN secretary-general should be Asian. Thailand and Asean have a candidate for the NAM to consider," Kantathi said.

"We are convinced Dr Surakiart Sathirathai, Thailand's deputy prime minister, is the best candidate with the best qualifications," he said.

Ministers today will endorse declarations on the development of nuclear energy in Iran, the ongoing internal conflicts in the Palestinian Authority, as well as offering the group's condolences to those affected by the Indonesian earthquake.

Thailand joined the NAM on October 4, 1993, and has actively participated in NAM meetings at every level, including the NAM summit, convened every three years.

The next summit is slated for September 15-16 this year in Havana.

Sopaporn Kurz

The Nation

Putrajaya, Malaysia