Top diplomat attends annual FM meeting of Group 77

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-27 15:32

NEW YORK -- Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said here Friday that the Group of 77 (G-77) is an effective mechanism for developing countries to coordinate their cooperation and jointly cope with various challenges facing the world.

Yang made the remarks when attending the organization's 32nd annual foreign ministers' meeting on the sidelines of the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In the face of a new situation, the G-77 should strengthen solidarity, conduct effective cooperation and actively safeguard the common interests of developing countries, Yang said.

He said China stands ready to work with the G-77 to meet the Millennium Development Goals, to strengthen coordination and cooperation to handle global challenges, to unite in the endeavor to seek and safeguard common interests, and to achieve a win-win outcome in beefing up South-South cooperation.

The G-77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing nations, established in 1964. Its membership has increased to 134 countries.

The group is the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries in the United Nations, providing them the means to articulate and promote collective economic interests and enhance joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues within the UN framework, as well as promote the South-South cooperation for development.

On Friday, Yang also attended a working breakfast with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, together with his counterparts from the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Yang told the breakfast gathering that Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States bear special responsibilities in maintaining world peace and security and that having constructive cooperation among the five and strengthening communication and coordination with the UN secretary-general can help the Security Council to better discharge its duties as enshrined in the UN Charter.

Ban and the five foreign ministers discussed South Ossetia, Darfur and the Iranian nuclear issue.