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BRICS opposes policy of force, diktat – BRICS coordinator

BRICS countries (Russia, India, China, Brazil and South Africa) oppose the policy of force and diktat and they will defend their position in the U.N. Security Council

MOSCOW, November 9 (Itar-Tass) — BRICS countries (Russia, India, China, Brazil and South Africa) oppose the policy of force and diktat and they will defend their position in the U.N. Security Council, BRICS coordinator Vadim Lukov said.

Speaking at a scientific conference at the Moscow State Institute of Foreign Relations on Wednesday, Lukov said, “We oppose the policy of force and diktat and unilateral resolutions of international political issues,” the Russian diplomat stressed, adding that the commonness of BRICS countries’ positions “mostly revealed in the U.N. Security Council”. “Now all countries are represented in the U.N. Security Council and our positions on the Libyan and Syrian issues, and on Palestine prove this,” Lukov noted.

“After certain BRICS states withdraw from the U.N. Security Council because they are non-permanent members, we continue coordinating our positions,” Lukov pointed out.

The BRICS countries represent four continents, 25 percent of GDP, 40 percent of the Earth population and 30 percent of the territory.

BRICS is an international political organisation of leading emerging economies. As of 2011, its five members are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. With the possible exception of Russia, the BRICS members are all developing or newly industrialised countries, but they are distinguished by their large economies and significant influence on regional and global affairs. As of 2011, the five BRICS countries represent roughly one-third of the world's total population, with a combined nominal GDP of 13.6 trillion U.S. dollars, and an estimated four trillion U.S. dollars in combined foreign reserves.

The BRIC countries met in Yekaterinburg for their first official summit first official on June 16, 2009. The summit was attended by Dmitry Medvedev, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Manmohan Singh and Hun Jintao. The summit focused on means to improve the global economic situation and reform financial institutions, and further strengthening of cooperation between the four countries. They also discussed ways to involve the BRIC members in global affairs.

In the aftermath of the Yekaterinburg summit, the BRIC nations stressed the need for creating a new global reserve currency, which would have to be “diversified, stable and predictable”.

In 2010, South Africa began efforts to join the BRIC group. The process for its formal admission began in August 2010. South Africa officially became a member nation on December 24, 2010, after being formally invited by China and the other BRIC countries to join the group. The group was renamed BRICS - with the "S" standing for South Africa - to reflect the group's expanded membership. In April 2011 South African President Jacob Zuma attended the 2011 BRICS summit as a full member.