The congress took place under great enthusiasm and with a dogged determination to fight back the onslaught of imperialist forces and "refused to accept its pre-assigned place within this new order, the role of a colony, a convict-people intended to be placed under some type of political and economic quarantine." 630,000 party members from 10,000 local organizations elected 2318 delegates to attend the congress, out of which 2314 attended. The delegation includes all the 25 different nationalities lived in Serbia. Other left parties who fought against the NATO aggression and stand by the people of Yugoslavia also participated in the conference as fraternal delegates. Most significant aspect is the attendance of 93 communist, left and democratic parties of 56 countries including the Communist Parties of China, Vietnam, Cuba, North-Korea, Russia, South African National Congress etc. to voice their firm solidarity with the people of Yugoslavia in their resolute fight to protect the sovereignty, integrity, independence and unity of their country against criminal aggression by NATO forces and still continued imperialist conspiracies.

As the country has been devastated by war of aggression and sanctions, the main theme of the congress was on reconstruction, rehabilitation and development. According to the reports of the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs "By its intensity and military might, the aggression against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is the biggest after the World War 11. It was undertaken by NATO, the alliance of 19 most developed countries in the world, 10 of which took active part in the aggression with 1,100 planes and other most sophisticated weaponry. NATO flew 25,200 sorties over the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, dropping 25,000 tons of explosives." School, colleges, bridges, roads, railway trucks, hospitals, residential buildings, power-generating stations, oil-refineries, commercial complexes, office buildings ,even churches, monasteries and cemeteries were not spared. Among the killed civilians 30% are children. The fraternal

delegates from other countries were taken to some of those buildings, hospitals, offices and the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade where indiscriminate bombings took place. Two draft reports were placed in the congress for discussion, one is on the future course of action and program to be taken up by the party and another a work report of the Socialist Party of Serbia since the 3rd Congress held in the year 1996. Different aspects of all out social and economic development were dealt in and specific task of the government has been formulated in the report. Delegates from different parts of the country took part in the deliberation of the conference and fully endorsed the report.

In the concluding speech Slobodan Milosevic, President, Socialist Party of Serbia, firmly told the delegates in accordance with the spirit of the report that the socialists are resolutely struggling against hegemony, interventionism and unipolarity of the world as the biggest hazards to peace and security in the world. He strongly condemned all kinds of discrimination, exploitation, neo-colonialism and sanctions, the purpose of which is domination over and subordination of independent and freedom-loving peoples and countries. Despite all outside pressures and all internal obstructions against Yugoslavia, it managed to maintain its economic and social stability at a higher level than all other countries of the region which avoided the break-up of the state, major demographic disturbances, war and sanctions. He strongly feels the necessity to jointly resist evil, and advocated amidst cheers that all proponents of progress should come together, all political parties and individuals not only from the left, but also all patriotic parties and individual. He cautioned " those that still consider themselves free. Today it is Serbia. But, Spain, France, Italy … and entire Europe, no matter how powerful it was before and how loyal it is now, will follow suit, exactly because its loyalty, then the Middle and Far East and the entire world at last…. The only way that can stand in the way of this crusade can be reason. The reason of the mankind, because this time mankind is the ultimate goal." The report also declared that Socialist Party of Serbia would carry on leading in the activity, linking and solidarity of all patriotic, democratic, leftist and progressive forces in the world, for the purpose of making a strong and effective response to new challenges in the international sphere on the eve of a new century and millennium. The reports and the new leadership of the party were elected unanimously.

International Seminar.

Next day, on 18th February a seminar was organized where all the fraternal delegates from different countries participated. The subject matter of discussion was on "International relation in the 21st century". In his inaugural address to the seminar, Mr.Zivadin Jovanovic, Vice-President of the Socialist Party of Serbia said " The contemporary trends in the international relations are characterized by two trends and concepts of international relations: the concept of unipolar world, with one undisputed ruler, based on imperialist interests and hegemonism, and multipolar one, based on legitimate and civilizational interests of an overwhelming majority of mankind, reflecting the most democratic aspirations and achievements of mankind." He explained in detail with facts and figures how imperialism under the leadership of United States in their

attempt to establish the unipolarity are flouting all international norms and charters and interfering into the internal affairs of other countries particularly of those who are not willing to toe their line of so-called New world order by way of economic sanctions and

naked military aggression. Currently the US is implementing sanctions regime against as many as 70 countries, i.e. against 42 percent of the world population. These sanctions are implemented by the US in a unilateral and illegal fashion. In going to elaborate the present situation at Kosovo since the deployment of KFOR and UNMIK, he said that more than 350,000 non-Albanians were forcibly expelled from the province, primarily Serbs, but also Roma, Muslims, Turks, Gornaci and others. In the period from 12 June 1999 until mid-February 2000, a total of 4,250 terrorist attacks were carried out, more than 900 persons were killed, and more than 800 were wounded and 834 abducted. 82 monasteries and churches were destroyed or burned. "Fascist like ethnic cleansing, burning and destruction of churches, monasteries and cultural and historical monuments sever the ethnic roots and spiritual links of Kosovo, a cradle of Serb state, with other

Parts of Serbia."

According to him, in the present world situation, in conditions to attempt to impose a unipolar concept on the world, the movement of Non-Alignment has regained its historic significance because it advocates equal democratic international relations. Few participants also suggested holding such type of interacting sessions in future to consolidate the unity of the people in the international scale. All participants in the seminar strongly condemn the hegemonic role of US imperialism and particularly the naked aggression of NATO forces in Yugoslavia. Everyone emphasized the crying need of all the peace-loving, democratic forces world over to stand unitedly against this nefarious design of US imperialism to impose its hegemony in the name so-called new world order. Few delegates also suggested organising such type of international gathering in regular intervals for the purpose of more fruitful interaction to find out a common path of struggle internationally. Reciprocally, it will help national struggles too.