HAVANA, Sept 15: Cuba took over the leadership of the Non-Aligned Movement from Malaysia on Friday, and acting President Raul Castro, standing in for his ailing brother Fidel, launched a stream of anti-American rhetoric in his inaugural speech.

Meanwhile, leaders from more than 55 developing countries Friday started two days of talks here.

The world today, Raul Castro said, is shaped by the United States’ “irrational pretensions for world dominance”.

“When there no longer is a Cold War, the United States spends a billion dollars a year on weapons and soldiers and it squanders a similar amount in commercial publicity,” he said. “To think that a social and economic order that has proven unsustainable could be maintained by force is simply an absurd idea.”

Raul Castro acknowledged his older brother’s illness after accepting Cuba’s three-year chairmanship with a round of applause by leaders from two-thirds of the world’s nations, saying: “Comrade Fidel has asked that I transmit to you his most cordial greetings.”

But while Castro is under doctors’ orders not to preside over the summit, the iconic leader could make an appearance, Cuba’s foreign minister told the assembly.

The 118-state NAM was expected to adopt a declaration backing Iran in its nuclear program dispute and lash out at Israel for its military interventions in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

Chavez at a side meeting of the “Group of 15” developing nations pledged Venezuela’s support for Iran if it is invaded.—AP