UN General Assembly
1973

36. President Boumediene of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, as host of the Conference, in his appraisal of that historic event declared: "The veritable atomic bomb consists of the thousands of millions of the peoples of the third world". Political declarations like this have to be understood and explained in general as the speaker has meant those expressions. It is clear that President Boumediene has meant to liken the strength of the non-aligned countries not to the destructive and devastating force of the atomic weapon, but to a force effective against the danger of any new war. 37. The role of the non-aligned countries is indeed of immense historical importance from the point of view of international peace and security. As up to now these nations have had a great part to play in changing the international relations, for in the future they will play a still greater role in improving international contacts. The vast majority of the non-aligned countries consists of those nations which, after tens or hundreds of years of colonial oppression and exploitation, have won