G4, AU vow to bridge differences

The two sides wrapped up talks on Sunday expressing firm determination to present in the UN General Assembly a joint draft resolution on the expansion of the Security Council.

The foreign ministers of both sides will meet again in Geneva on July 25 to review in-depth discussions that their UN ambassadors in New York will begin soon to thrash out remaining differences.

Summing up the mood of the participants, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, who hosted the extended luncheon meeting, said, "They want differences between them not only to narrow down but to disappear."

They had "extremely useful, constructive and frank exchange of views in an atmosphere of cooperation and understanding", he said.

The meeting, which was scheduled to last three hours, dragged on for more than four hours as the ministers said they would like to sort out the issue at the earliest.

A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting said the two sides discussed a way forward and prospects for a common action with regard reform of the UN Security Council.

They also held a frank discussion on differences in their respective proposals, it said.

The two sides agreed to establish a joint mechanism and vowed to work expeditiously to explore ways to overcome the differences and arrive at a common position, the statement said.

Indian Ambassador Nirupam Sen said the two sides discussed in depth the issue of veto on which there are differences.