MOSCOW, September 21. /TASS/. The role of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and a number of other associations with Russian participation is not to team up against anyone, but act for the benefit of all people, Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Nikolay Patrushev said in an interview with the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.
"The role of these organizations has expanded in today’s world. It’s an objective tendency," the official said, commenting the activities of the SCO, CSTO and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa).
As Patrushev emphasized, in particular, BRICS states account for more than 40% of the world's population, a quarter of the world's GDP and 22% of global trade turnover. "for instance, if we look at the purchasing power parity, BRICS has already surpassed the G7 in terms of GDP (33% opposed to 30%)," he added.
Within the framework of the SCO, BRICS and CSTO countries take practical steps to enhance global stability, regional security as well as trade and economic relations. On an ongoing basis, these organizations cooperate to counter terrorism, transnational crime, drug trafficking, illegal migration, piracy and cybercrime, as well as the spread of infections.
"I won’t list all the areas in which our countries have been cooperating. It is of great importance that these activities are aimed at the benefit of all people. Teaming up against someone is not our principle, " Patrushev concluded.
He stressed that Moscow favored the expansion of equal multilateral cooperation, the development of universal international institutions, joint efforts to reduce global tension and strengthen international security. "If the West establishes organizations to solve short-term issues, deter countries that it does not like and suppress its own allies, Moscow and its partner countries of the SCO, BRICS, EAEU, CSTO and CIS do not have a shadow agenda. Our countries cooperate to guarantee national security as well as global stability, the supremacy of international law, the UN’s coordinating functions, the rejection of interference in the domestic affairs of independent nations, and a commitment to defend their national interests and respect the sovereignty of other countries".