Once Non Aligned, Now a Part of the EU
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The movement was formed in 1961 through the initiative of Josip Broz Tito, then president of Yugoslavia, and brought together the states of the world that did not wish to align themselves with either of the Cold War superpowers. Important members included India, Egypt, Brazil and, for a time, the People's Republic of China. The first meeting of NAM took place in Belgrade on September 1st, 1961 and it was attended by representatives of 25 states as well as 40 representatives of anti-colonial and liberation movements from Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. The group dedicated itself to opposing colonialism, imperialism, and neo-colonialism. After six days, the Principles of the Non-Aligned Movement were adopted as an alternative to the Cold War and the division of the world into two blocs. However, there were no bonds strong enough to keep Yugoslavia together and the country eventually fell apart. Unfortunately it wasn't a peaceful separation and on September 7th, 1991 an International Peace conference was held in The Hague in order to find a peaceful solution for the Yugoslav crisis. All the members of the Presidency of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia attended the conference, as well as the President of the Federal Government and the six presidents of the Yugoslav Republics. The conference was chaired by Lord Carrington and eventually it was declared that a peaceful solution to the Yugoslav crisis had been agreed to and adopted. Just one day after the beginning of the conference, a referendum on the question of independence was held in Macedonia and the people voted in favour of an independent and sovereign republic. Therefore, Macedonia became the third of the six former Yugoslav republics to choose independence. On September 19th, 1992 the United Nation's Security Council expelled Yugoslavia from the organisation, explaining that the country no longer existed. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was a founding member of the United Nations, the Charter having been signed on its behalf on June 26th, 1945 and ratified on October 19th, 1945. It remained a member until its expulsion following the establishment and subsequent admission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Slovenia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as new members. The Republic of Slovenia was admitted to the United Nations on May 22nd, 1992 and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia became a member on November 1st, 2000.