Geneva Chapter says Coordinators meeting was productive

GENEVA (G-77) - Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan, chairman of Geneva chapter, says he is ''very satisfied'' with the meeting of coordinators and chairmen of the G-77. The meeting, he said, was very timely because it took place just before the Secretary-General announced his package of reforms to restructure the world body.
''At least we were able to give direction in some issues related to the reforms,'' he said in an interview with the JOURNAL OF THE GROUP OF 77.

Akram particularly pointed out the importance of development, the importance of paying assessed contributions on time, in full and without conditions.

He also stressed the importance of developing countries trying to bring themselves together on major policy issues, rather than being involved in smaller institutional problems that affect the system.

''I think that if you see the final communique of the chapter's meeting it is short and clear and identifies major issues at this time - the question of globalization and its impact on developing countries, the question of the forthcoming trade negotiations and what should be the positive agenda for the developing countries.''

''Our effort should be to work for identification of those priorities,'' he said.

Akram said there is also the question of development financing which is one of the high priority items in the G-77 agenda.

''For all these reasons we have, once again, tried to keep our focus on these issues - at least in the chapter's meeting - and we hope we will continue to work together at this critical time and focus on these central issues for developing countries in the future,'' he said.

''Our group is working well... despite our large size and disparate interests we have been able to find sufficient common ground to work together and to be able to identify a common agenda for ourselves.''