UNITED NATIONS, May 24: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Monday called on the two rival groups on the UN Security Council expansion “to continue their dialogue, their consultations,” after a meeting held in his office to narrow their differences on the expansion issue.

Mr Annan told reporters “we had a very good discussion this morning. I urged them to continue their dialogue, their consultations, not only on Security Council reform, but on all other clusters, and urged them to focus their efforts on those clusters where it is relatively easy to get consensus.”

The envoys of G-4 — Japan, Germany, India and Brazil — and the Uniting For Consensus also announced an agreement to continue “consultations and dialogue with a view of reaching broadest possible agreement”.

Following a joint meeting of G-4 and UFC held on the initiative of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at the headquarters Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram Said: “We understand that while the process of consultations is under way, no precipitate move would be made by either side to table a resolution or amendment, much less put it to vote.”