Brasília - On Thursday, president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will travel to Caracas, Venezuela, for the XII summit of the G-15, which presently consists of 19 countries. The summit will focus on international affairs and the integration of developing nations in those affairs and the world economy. Membership of Venezuela in Mercosur will also be discussed. The central theme of the meeting is "Energy and Development."

Besides the president of Brazil, the presidents of Argentina, Nestor Kirchner, and Columbia, Alvaro Uribe, and the prime minister of Jamaica, Percival Patterson, will be present. India, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia and Zimbabuwe will send representatives. Heads of state from Algeria, Chile, Egypt, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Kenya will attend as well.

The G-15 was created in 1989 as a forum for non-aligned developing nations. The meeting in Caracas has been postponed twice because of unrest there. (AB)