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Russian minister urges BRICS to consolidate positions at WTO conference in December

Oreshkin also said that Russia had suggested removing the WTO safeguards

SHANGHAI, August 2. /TASS/. Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin on Wednesday called on the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) to come up with a single stance during the biennial WTO ministerial conference due in Argentina in December.

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"As the BRICS members, we share common approaches to many problems. We believe that the advantages of the BRICS platform can and should be used to achieve multilateral accord in the future. Together we will be able to promote the global economy and the multilateral trade system even if other (WTO) members disagree," Oreshkin said at the seventh meeting of the BRICS trade ministers.

Among other things, the minister asked to support Russia on the issue of clarifying the WTO agreements on antidumping, subsidies and compensatory measures. Besides, BRICS countries could use the WTO platform to jointly raise the issue of e-commerce, small and medium-sized enterprises, he said.

Oreshkin also said that Russia had suggested removing the WTO safeguards, currently in place in several countries.

"We view the special safeguards as a rudiment, which has already fulfilled its purpose and can be removed safely," he said, adding that their removal would benefit all BRICS members.

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