Thursday, September 15 2005 10:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: IBSA, a ginger group of India, Brazil and South Africa, campaigning for reforms of the United Nations today (Sept 15, 2005) made it clear that urgent steps must be taken to bring the discussions on the Security Council reform to a successful conclusion, preferably by the end of this year.

At a meeting attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and South African President Thabo Mbeki, the three countries comprising the IBSA Dialogue Forum, underlined the need to reform the United Nations and agreed to continue their engagement on all aspects thereof.

They shared the view that no reform of the UN would be complete without the reform and expansion of the Security Council, with the inclusion of developing countries as Permanent Members.

The leaders exchanged views on the implementation of the Outcome Document of the Millennium Review Summit and the issue of UN reform, said a press release issued after the meeting.

The three leaders reaffirmed the value of the continuing cooperation among three large democracies of the developing world, with a view to promoting stronger ties among themselves and their regions, to strengthen multilateralism and to further develop South-South cooperation.

They reviewed the progress in the various sectors of cooperation among the three countries. They highlighted the establishment of the IBSA Business Forum, the recent signing of a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding on Air Services, and the convening of the Seminar on Economic Development and Social Equity, which took place in Rio de Janeiro on August 3 and 4 last.

They also reviewed the implementation of projects under the IBSA Facility for Alleviation of Poverty and Hunger. The three countries have committed further contributions of USD one million each to the Facility.