Moscow, Mar 22 (IANS): The BRICS countries should transform from a dialogue forum into "a full-scale strategic cooperation mechanism that will allow to look for solutions to key issues of global politics together", Russian President Vladimir Putin says.
"...the BRICS countries seek to help the world economy achieve stable and self-sustaining growth and reform the international financial and economic architecture," Putin told ITAR-TASS news agency ahead of March 26-27 BRICS summit to be held in Durban, South Africa.
"Our major task is to find ways to accelerate global development, encourage flows of capital in real economy and increase employment. This is particularly important in the context of poor global economic growth rates and unacceptably high unemployment. Although this is mainly true of western countries, the BRICS states are also negatively affected; export markets are shrinking, global finance lacks stability, and our own economic growth is slowing down," he said.
BRICS is an economic bloc representing five of the world's leading emerging economies, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Putin said: "...we invite our partners to gradually transform BRICS from a dialogue forum that coordinates approaches to a limited number of issues into a full-scale strategic cooperation mechanism that will allow us to look for solutions to key issues of global politics together."
He went on to say that the BRICS countries traditionally voice similar approaches to the settlement of all international conflicts through political and diplomatic means.
"For the Durban summit, we are working on a joint declaration setting forth our fundamental approaches to pressing international issues, i.e., crisis in Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and the Middle East."
"We do not view BRICS as a geopolitical competitor to western countries or their organisations - on the contrary, we are open to discussion with any country or organisation that is willing to do so within the framework of the common multipolar world order," he added.