BRICS agrees to joint declaration in test of unity despite Mideast\ntensions<\/p>\n
NEW DELHI: The BRICS group of emerging economies has agreed on a\njoint declaration, sources told Reuters on Saturday (Sep 12), a\nsignificant diplomatic breakthrough as its leaders began summit talks in\nNew Delhi, aiming to boost the bloc\u2019s global clout.<\/p>\n
Host India\u2019s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the bloc had come\nof age and it was time to translate its unity and consensus into\nconcrete results on the global stage, as he opened the meeting.<\/p>\n
The summit, hoping to bridge divisions between members Iran and the\nUnited Arab Emirates over the Gulf conflict, is being held as the United\nStates and Iran resume tit-for-tat strikes in their six-month-old\nwar.<\/p>\n
That followed a pause in fighting for much of August, while the\nIran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen tightened their grip in the Red Sea\nregion.<\/p>\n
Negotiators had agreed on a joint declaration unlikely to name any\ncountry but which will condemn unilateral aggression by any country,\nfour sources told Reuters, adding that the bloc\u2019s leaders were expected\nto approve the document later on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The sources declined to be identified as they are not authorised to\nspeak to the media. The foreign ministry of host India did not\nimmediately respond to a request for comment on the declaration.<\/p>\n
The negotiations saw differences on several contentious issues but\nIndia led sustained consultations to bridge competing positions and\nbuild consensus among members, said an Indian source with direct\nknowledge of the development.<\/p>\n
Against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts and heightened tensions in\nthe Gulf region, securing consensus presented a particularly complex\ndiplomatic challenge, the source said.<\/p>\n
PUTIN, XI, PEZESHKIAN, RAMAPHOSA IN ATTENDANCE<\/p>\n
Foreign policy experts had said the key test for the bloc would be\nfinding language on the Middle East crisis that both Abu Dhabi and\nTehran could accept, clearing the way for a joint declaration.<\/p>\n
Such a joint statement was unlikely to influence the current\ngeopolitical landscape, but would demonstrate unity by a grouping of\nemerging nations against economically debilitating policies such as\nWestern sanctions, they said.<\/p>\n
BRICS foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi in May were unable to\nissue a joint statement, stymied by differences between Iran and the\nUAE.<\/p>\n
The BRICS bloc is seeking to raise its profile by influencing\ninternational rules and demanding the reform of institutions such as the\nWorld Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization,\nwhich some members view as being dominated by Western powers.<\/p>\n
Leaders attending the summit are Russian President Vladimir Putin,\nChina\u2019s Xi Jinping, Iran\u2019s Masoud Pezeshkian, South Africa\u2019s Cyril\nRamaphosa and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed\nAl Nahyan, among others.<\/p>\n
Chinese President Xi said BRICS countries should firmly stand on the\nright side of history by steering the international order toward greater\nequity and justice.<\/p>\n
New Delhi, which has strong ties with the United States, Russia,\nIsrael, Iran and the Gulf Arab states, is engaged in a diplomatic\nbalancing act, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushing BRICS members\nto boost trade cooperation, reduce barriers and expand business\nopportunities.<\/p>\n
EVERY COUNTRY SHOULD HAVE A VOICE, MODI SAYS<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile strengthening BRICS, we must also determine the direction of\nglobal reform,\u201d Modi said. \u201cThe Global South is today in the front row\nwhen it comes to global crises, but in the back row when it comes to\ndecision-making. We have to transform this pyramid and privilege into a\nplatform of partnership - where every country has a voice, every member\nhas a stake.\u201d<\/p>\n
Modi also reiterated India\u2019s longstanding demand for expansion of the\nUN Security Council, including permanent seats for itself and other\nemerging powers, saying that reform of the Security Council can no\nlonger be delayed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe message of this BRICS Summit being held in India should be\nclear: If our future is shared, then the right to shape that future must\nalso be shared,\u201d Modi said.<\/p>\n
BRICS groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Egypt,\nEthiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n
It was set up in 2009 to challenge a world order dominated by the\nUnited States and its Western allies. Together, its members account for\nmore than 40 per cent of the world\u2019s population and almost a quarter of\nthe global economy.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/brics-agrees-to-joint-declaration-in-test-of-unity-despite-mideast-tensions-1789213839", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }