The G-15 is an informal forum set up to foster cooperation and provide input for other international groups, such as the World Trade Organization and Group of Seven. Despite the name "G-15," which indicates that there should ideally be 15 countries in this group, the actual number of member countries can vary depending on the circumstances.

Option 1, implying that the group had 14 members at the 1997 meeting, is incorrect as the group always had more than 14 members since inception.

Option 2, suggesting that there were 15 members, is also incorrect. Even though the name suggests that there should be 15 countries, this was never the case at any meeting.

Option 3 is the correct answer, indicating that the 1997 meeting was attended by 16 member countries. This is an example of how the actual number of members can exceed the `15` in the group`s name.

Option 4, which suggests 17 member countries, is incorrect. The number of attending countries was not this high at the 1997 meeting.