https://sputnikglobe.com/20230821/us-continuously-engages-in-anti-russia-rhetoric-in-apec-says-envoy-1112746800.html

Russian Envoy Slams US’ Incessant Russophobic Rhetoric at APEC

Russian Envoy Slams US’ Incessant Russophobic Rhetoric at APEC

Sputnik International

The US continuously uses anti-Russian rhetoric at APEC, said a Russian official after high-ranking officials and ministers at the third summit in Seattle.

2023-08-21T06:21+0000

2023-08-21T06:21+0000

2023-08-21T10:02+0000

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"The United States still cannot give up anti-Russian rhetoric at APEC. They are obediently parroted by their most faithful allies," Berdyev stressed. "However, these escapades are gradually fizzling out. An obedient minority echoes Washington at the microphone. On the sidelines, many delegations admit that they are looking forward to the end of this American obsession." In 2022, Berdyev noted, the Thai presidency made every possible effort to prevent the forum from taking illegitimate decisions that circumvent the fundamental principle of consensus. Moscow hopes the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) returns to its constructive functioning after the US chairmanship ends, the envoy added.Berdyev stressed that Russia insistently demands from the host side the fulfillment of the entire range of obligations as the Chairman of the Forum."We hope that common sense will prevail in preparing the summit meeting and its outcome documents, and priority will be given to achieving consensus agreements in the interests of all APEC economies," he said. "In general, we regret that the destructive decisions of the Americans have a negative impact on the productivity of APEC, and we hope that this important regional cooperation platform, which has passed many years of testing for strength and relevance, will return to constructive functioning at the end of the current cycle."On Western Efforts to Undermine APEC PrinciplesThe West is increasing the level of confrontation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) by bringing into the platform geopolitical discussions that are far beyond the scope of the forum, Russia’s senior official at APEC, Ambassador Marat Berdyev told Sputnik.“The current international situation negatively impacts the forum [APEC]. Western members of the forum are actively raising the level of confrontation in the APEC platform, trying to bring into the discussions geopolitical topics that go far beyond the scope of the organization,” Berdyev said in a statement.Berdyev noted that a number of Russia-friendly APEC members are in favor of strict adherence to the basic principles and norms of the forum and focus on the tasks of economic integration. Russia also seeks to prevent the shift away from the economic integration component of this association.Along with participation in the G20, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), work in APEC is one of the key areas of Russian multilateral diplomacy aimed at the removal of all unreasonable barriers and building an effective environment across the entire continent, Berdyev added.The United States, which serves as the APEC host of 2023, has totally disregarded its non-discrimination commitments, Berdyev stressed."The Russian side agreed to the US 'shift' in APEC in 2023, after receiving US assurances that they would strictly comply with all the chairman's obligations to the economies participating in APEC. Particular attention was paid to confirming the Chairmanship's readiness to ensure non-discriminatory access for all delegations to events without 'double standards' and arbitrariness," Berdyev said. "Unfortunately, the Americans, accustomed to living in captivity of their own exclusivity, once again completely disavowed these promises by their actions."Berdyev pointed out that this concerns both the organization of the work processes and the content of APEC's agenda this year.The United States is ramping up its efforts to replace inclusive collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region with the Western-centric formats, Ambassador-at-Large, Senior Official in APEC from Russia Marat Berdyev told Sputnik."We see the buildup of US efforts to replace the inclusive nature of cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region with Western-centric formats of interaction in line with the American 'Indo-Pacific' project," Berdyev said. "We are convinced that the new dividing lines in the Asian region will create barriers to the practical ties between the APEC economies and the normal functioning of added value chains," he noted.Berdyev pointed out that the prerequisites for such a negative scenario are already visible against the backdrop of attempts by the United States and its allies to reshape the trade and investment agenda in the Asia-Pacific region by promoting alternative mechanisms to the so-called framework economic interaction in the Indo-Pacific region.On Obstructions to Russian DiplomacyA number of Russian delegates did not get a US visa to take part in the third Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Senior Officials’ and Ministerial Meetings in Seattle, Ambassador-at-Large, Senior Official in APEC from Russia Marat Berdyev told Sputnik."Within the framework of the third series of meetings of senior officials of the Forum, representatives of several Russian departments could not attend the relevant meetings. A number of delegates did not receive visas at all, and in some cases, entry permits were issued during or after the main meetings," Berdyev said. "The current situation creates serious obstacles to our full-fledged participation in the activities of APEC under the American chairmanship and cannot but affect the effectiveness and credibility of the US shift."On Russia’s Stance Towards APECMoscow will consider Washington's undermining of the rights of the members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) when making a decision on its representation at the upcoming Leaders’ Summit in November, Ambassador-at-Large, Senior Official in APEC from Russia Marat Berdyev told Sputnik."Washington continues to ‘lose face’ as a responsible participant in international communication, a negotiable player. We note the growing appetites of the American side, in particular, its inappropriate behavior and infringement of other economies, particularly, Hong Kong," Berdyev said. "Of course, such somersaults by the Americans do not go unnoticed, forcing many countries to strive for the accelerated establishment of a multipolar world, independent of Western structures and whims. We will take this approach of Washington into account when deciding on the level of Russia's representation at the Forum's summit in November"Berdyev stressed that Russian insistently demands from the host side the fulfillment of the entire range of obligations as the Chairman of the Forum."We hope that common sense will prevail in preparing the summit meeting and its outcome documents, and priority will be given to achieving consensus agreements in the interests of all APEC economies," he said. "In general, we regret that the destructive decisions of the Americans have a negative impact on the productivity of APEC, and we hope that this important regional cooperation platform, which has passed many years of testing for strength and relevance, will return to constructive functioning at the end of the current cycle."Berdyev went on to say that ahead is the presidency of Peru and South Korea, and Russia has already established a substantive dialogue with colleagues from Lima, who are going to look for a "common denominator" and focus on collective efforts to strengthen the economic and integration potential."In this context, we plan a number of specific joint initiatives and projects, including the engagement of Russian business and academic circles," he added.On Trends in Global EconomyMoscow expects the timely completion of the IMF quotas review and that they will indeed be redistributed in favor of underrepresented nations, including China, Russia’s senior official at APEC, Ambassador Marat Berdyev told Sputnik."We look forward to the timely [before December 15 this year] completion of the 16th general review of IMF quotas and their real redistribution in favor of 'underrepresented' countries, primarily China and other developing countries," Berdyev said. "Any other reform options, including maintaining the status quo in terms of votes in the IMF or implying their symbolic redistribution will become an illustration of the West's unwillingness to give up its dominant positions in the Bretton Woods Institutions that have already become an anachronism."As for the reforms of multilateral financial institutions, primarily the IMF and the World Bank, Berdyev went on to say, the world community has yet to determine their direction and main parameters. "Any changes should be worked out in universal formats on a transparent, non-discriminatory basis, take into account the financial characteristics of various countries, and have real benefits for developing states," he said.In early June, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, speaking about Policy Briefs on Our Common Agenda, said that reforms to the IMF quotas were needed and the representation of the developing nations in both the IMF and the World Bank should be expanded to address injustices and systemic bias in the international financial architecture and proposed a representative apex body to oversee the entire system.The countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America have increasing interest in new forms of payment, Russia’s senior official at APEC, Ambassador Marat Berdyev added."There is a growing interest in new forms of payment in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. ASEAN is intensifying the dialogue on the use of national currencies, since last year there has been an agreement on digital border trading in local financial instruments," Berdyev said. "In the EAEU, according to preliminary data, already more than 90% of transactions are carried out in the currencies of the member states of the Union, while the ruble is reasonably in the lead."Berdyev pointed out that APEC, like other specialized multilateral formats, does not remain aloof from the problems of global finance."These include, among other things, growing inflationary pressure, high levels of debt, a lack of resources to finance global development, market volatility, and a crisis in the banking sector of some developed countries," he said. "Under these conditions, the world economic system is going through a period of adaptation to new challenges and threats."Berdyev went on to say that there can be seen a decline in the use of the US dollar, which is increasingly perceived as an unreliable asset."The countries of the world's majority are reducing the share of 'toxic' currencies (first of all, the US dollar and the euro) in their foreign trade and financial transactions," he said. "This trend is caused by the sanctions 'voluntarism' of the collective West, which, with its unilateral and illegitimate restrictive measures, has undermined confidence in the American-centric financial system. There are also the consequences of the irresponsible financial policies of many developed countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they launched a printing press to cover the budget deficit, provoking “bubbles” in the commodity markets, and then consumer inflation and a decline in living standards."Berdyev underscored that strengthening the role of national currencies is an objective process."Political reasons against the backdrop of the 'sanctions war' launched by the United States probably still prevail, but economic logic cannot be discounted either. Suffice it to recall the exorbitant debt accumulated by the Americans, the endless excesses around the budget deficit," he said. "According to statistics, the share of the dollar in the total volume of international payments through SWIFT in January 2023 decreased to 41.7%. According to the IMF, its share in reserves reached its lowest level in 27 years at 58.36%.""Settlements are increasingly dynamic in yuan (the weight of the Chinese currency in trade contracts from March 2021 to March 2023 increased from 1.9% to 4.5%), Indian rupees, currencies of Arab and other developing countries. The Russian ruble is becoming more and more popular and attractive, especially in the Eurasian space," he added.In response to sanctions, Russia has accelerated efforts to switch to national currencies in trade. In February and March, the yuan replaced the US dollar as the most traded currency in Russia.In April, the International Monetary Fund said the US dollar has depreciated since October 2022 but remains stronger than it has been since 2000.The same month, World Bank President David Malpass said that the US dollar’s dominance has been put into question by competitors such as blockchain technology and the Chinese yuan.Berdyev spoke after high-ranking officials and ministers held meetings in Seattle where they addressed food security and energy matters among other issues as part of the third Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Senior Officials’ and Ministerial Meetings. The APEC Economic Leaders’ Week will take place in San Francisco in November.

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