For the first time since it gained its independence in 1991, Croatia, which has observer status in the Movement, has been represented by a head of state at a NAM conference.
President Mesic has said that the purpose of his participation in the NAM summit is to open new paths of cooperation with countries with which Zagreb has not yet developed cooperation.
Mesic recalled that this year the NAM was marking two important anniversaries: fifty years ago, the heads of state, Josip Broz Tito of the Socialist Federation of Yugoslavia, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, and Jawaharlal Nehru of India met on the Croatian island of Brijuni to lay foundations for this international organisation, and the first summit of the NAM was held in Belgrade 45 years ago.
The now defunct Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) used to be one of the leading countries of the movement. However, countries-successors to the SFRY seem to have expressed little interest in the NAM since the federation's break-up. Besides Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia also have observer status in the organisation.
Currently, the NAM gathers 116 members, mainly countries from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.
The one-week summit in the Cuban capital is focused on terrorism, disarmament, dialogue between the North and the South, crisis spots, and social issues.
After Cuba, the Croatian president will fly to the United States to attend a session of the United Nations General Assembly.