Putin looking forward to developing BRICS partnerships

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia highly values the multifaceted cooperation with BRICS to create a fair multipolar world and equal development conditions for all, in a signed article published on Friday.

In the article for the 9th BRICS Summit to be held in Xiamen, China on September 3-5, Putin said he appreciated China's significant contribution as this year's chair of the organization, "which has allowed the BRICS countries as a group to move forward in all key areas of our partnership, including politics, the economy and culture."

The BRICS is the acronym for a group of five emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Originally the first four were grouped as "BRIC" before the inclusion of South Africa in 2010. Since 2009, the BRICS countries have met annually at formal summits.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is in Beijing for the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, May 14, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

"It is important that our group's activities are based on the principles of equality, respect for one another's opinions and consensus. Within BRICS, nothing is ever forced on anyone," Putin added, "This open and trust-based atmosphere is conducive to the successful implementation of our tasks."

Putin said Russia stands for closer coordination of the BRICS countries' foreign policies, primarily at the United Nations and Group of 20, as well as other international organizations. "Only the combined efforts of all countries can help bring about global stability and find solutions to many acute conflicts," he wrote in the article.

As for the situation on the Korean Peninsula where tensions have grown recently, Putin said the region's problems should only be settled through a direct dialogue of all the parties concerned without any preconditions. "Provocations, pressure, and militarist and insulting rhetoric are a dead-end road," he wrote.

(Top image: File photo)

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency