RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s deputy foreign minister, Waleed Al-Khuraiji, addressed a high-level commemorative meeting in Serbia on Wednesday marking the 65th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement. He said the Kingdom had been committed to the principles behind the movement since the organization was founded in September 1961, at the peak of the Cold War between the US and the former Soviet Union. “Foremost among (those principles is) safeguarding the sovereignty of states and the independence of their national decision-making, and rejecting the use of force as a means of resolving disputes,” he said. He noted that these same principles shape the Kingdom’s foreign policy, which puts an emphasis on dialogue about international issues, efforts to foster cooperation, and the promotion of peace and security. Al-Khuraiji also emphasized the movement’s proactive support for just causes, especially its firm stance on the Palestinian issue, and its commitment to stability in the Middle East, the Saudi Press Agency reported. He asserted that Israel’s actions in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territory, as well as attacks on the Syrian Arab Republic, violated the rights of the peoples there and national sovereignty, causing tensions and instability to escalate in the Middle East. He warned of the consequences of failure to pursue and achieve political solutions to disputes, and of policies of force and escalation. He called for respect for international law, freedom of navigation in waterways, and the resolution of the Palestinian cause. “The Kingdom’s regional efforts stem from the conviction that the security of the region is a shared responsibility and that its sustainability requires understandings that reduce the prospects of confrontation and prevent disputes from widening,” Al-Khuraiji said. “Accordingly, the Kingdom has been keen to keep channels of communication open, support initiatives that contribute to deescalation, and encourage parties to address the causes of tension before they develop into broader crises.”