Determined to continue their efforts for reforms in the United Nations, India, Brazil and South Africa have called for "immediate, element-based and result-oriented" inter-governmental negotiations for the expansion of Security Council.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who met his his counterparts Celso Amorim of Brazil and Nkosazana Dalmini-Zuma of South Africa in New York, also discussed matters of mutual interest and issues relating to IBSA Dialogue Forum and IBSA Fund for Alleviation of Poverty and Hunger.
The three countries, known by the acronym IBSA, are strong contenders for permanent seats in an expanded council.
Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session on Wednesday, the ministers called for "immediate, element-based and result-oriented" inter-governmental negotiations for the expansion of the 15-member council so that it reflects current realities.
Preparations for the second IBSA Summit in South Africa next month also came for discussions, officials said.
The UN General Assembly had on September 17 decided to remit the issue of expansion of the council to the next session.
Intensive inter-governmental negotiations are expected to begin next month on the issue which the 61st session of the UNGA could not resolve.
India, Japan, Germany and Brazil, known as the 'Group of four', are strong contenders for permanent seats in the expanded Security Council, but 'Uniting for Consensus' group, in which Pakistan plays an important role, opposes expansion in the permanent category.
G-4 wants two members from Africa to join the council as permanent members.
At a separate meeting, Mukherjee and Amorim stressed on the need for expanding bilateral cooperation, including in the defence, trade and alternative sources of energy sectors.
They also discussed expanding of cultural exchanges between the two countries and steps to further coordination in the multilateral fora in the context of the similarity of positions and concerns of the two countries.
