G-15 vows to improve members' welfare

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said yesterday the Group of 15 nations (G-15) is reflecting on how to take a leading role in helping to promote the welfare of developing countries.

Responding to press queries on the apparent decline in interest from member states, Alatas said discussions on G-15's strengths and weaknesses had begun.

"We discussed openly and in-depth how to improve the G-15 in the current world situation and to honestly analyze the weaknesses," he said after returning from the G-15 summit in Harare, Zimbabwe.

"(The summit discussed) how to enhance the group's role as a pioneer, stimulator, not only for the group's members, but for all developing countries," he said.

He acknowledged the G-15 had achieved much but said "more can still be done to enhance its role and fine-tune further to the original aims which led to formation of the G-15."

The G-15 was established in 1989 as a forum for consultation among heads of state to address the problems of the developing world and forge better South-South cooperation.

The G-15 comprises Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

However, the group has been losing momentum with fewer and fewer leaders attending its annual summits.

President Soeharto, for the second-year running, was absent at this year's summit. At last year's fifth G-15 summit only eight heads of state/government attended while this year only four leaders were present.

Alatas attended the sixth G-15 summit which was held on Nov. 3-5 on behalf of Soeharto.

Apart from revising the schedule of the summit from annually to biannually, Alatas said attaching themes might be a way to get leaders to attend.

"Maybe it would be good to have a particular theme or specific topic, which is relevant to the prevailing situation, attached to every summit," he said.

"This would probably be more interesting for the leaders to discuss together," he added.

The G-15 is currently reviewing expanding its membership.

With a membership comprising seven Latin American, five African and only three Asian countries, Asia is under- represented.

Alatas said Malaysia was the next host and has been assigned to look at the possibility of admitting new members.

During the summit, it was agreed that Kenya would be accepted as a new member.

Reviewing the summit, Alatas said member states agreed to oppose some developed countries' intentions to connect certain issues with social demands.

"There was clear indication of unity among the G-15 to oppose the inclusion of extraneous issues which had nothing directly to do with trade," the minister said. (mds)