Sunday, September 18 2005 15:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: Cuba, which is the next chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), has expressed strong support for India becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque conveyed his country's position when he met External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly's session in New York yesterday (Sept 17, 2005).

During their 45-minute meeting, the two ministers discussed the bilateral relations, especially in the economic field, with a view to strengthening them.

The Foreign Ministers of India, South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria and Ghana also met under the IBSA framework and discussed the issue of carrying forward the UN reforms, especially the expansion of the Security Council.

The reforms, they reaffirmed, should be aimed at imparting greater legitimacy to the United Nations, and ensure transparency and effectiveness to enable the world body to meet the emerging challenges of the new millennium.

IBSA is a ginger group of India, Brazil and South Africa.