Asians, Africans at Bandung Assail Arms Race, Israel
More than 80 Asian and African delegates representing two-thirds of the world’s population unanimously endorsed a declaration Thursday calling for a better economic deal for their nations and assailing Israel, South Africa and the arms race.
An 11-page draft declaration issued at the close of the 30th anniversary commemoration of the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung glossed over potentially divisive Third World issues while branding Israel and South Africa as international pariahs.
It condemned the South African government and urged the eradication of its apartheid policies. It also backed the Palestine Liberation Organization and condemned what it called the racist, brutal practices of Israel against the Arab population in Israel, southern Lebanon and the Golan Heights.
The delegates expressed deep concern at the arms race and told the superpowers that world military expenditure is a wasteful diversion of funds that could be better spent helping poorer nations.
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