President to address G-15 Summit tomorrow

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will lead Sri Lanka’s delegation at the G-15 Summit in Tehran tomorrow.

Heads of State of Government from 17 other countries will also participate.

Iran’s top presidential advisors prepared a draft resolution for the 14th G-15 Summit, which was scheduled to be held yesterday.

The draft was endorsed at a meeting of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his top advisors, taking into account important international and economic issues at a time of global economic meltdown, according to IRNA news agency.

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the meeting of the Group of 15 will present a good opportunity for political and economic cooperation to its members, the local satellite Press TV said.

“The summit, which will bring together representatives from important countries, is to provide a great capacity for expansion of economic and political cooperation (among members),” the report quoted Ramin Mehmanparast as saying.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and President Rajapaksa are among the guests attending the 14th Summit of the G-15. The G-15 was set up at the Ninth Non-Aligned Movement Summit Meeting in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in September 1989.

It comprises countries from North America, South America, Africa and Asia with a common goal of enhanced growth and prosperity.

The G-15 focuses on cooperation among developing countries in the areas of investment, trade and technology.

The membership of the G-15 has expanded to 18 countries, but the name has remained unchanged. The bloc comprises Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.