Brics leaders stress on respect for sovereignty
NEW DELHI: The leaders of the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) grouping on Thursday discussed the Ukraine conflict and the situation in Afghanistan, and stressed the need to peacefully resolve disputes and to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.
As part of efforts to reform the multilateral system, the leaders – Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa – agreed to strengthen capacities to respond to new and emerging challenges, including terrorism, money laundering, and fake news.
A declaration issued at the end of the virtual Brics Summit hosted by China said the leaders supported talks between Russia and Ukraine and discussed concerns over the humanitarian situation in and around the eastern European country.
“We commit to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, stress our commitment to the peaceful resolution of differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of crises,” the declaration said.
The declaration said the leaders had recalled their “national positions” on the Ukraine crisis as outlined at forums such as the UN Security Council and General Assembly.
This was the first Brics Summit since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, and it was held against the backdrop of continuing tensions between India and China over a military standoff in Ladakh sector.