Lavrov, Chinese Top Diplomat Focus on Asia-Pacific Security - Russian Foreign Ministry
09:54 GMT 10.06.2024 (Updated: 10:41 GMT 10.06.2024)
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have discussed security issues in the Asia-Pacific region, taking into account anti-Russian and anti-Chinese activities of the United States in the region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
"The ministers substantively discussed issues of ensuring security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, taking into account the US line of creating closed military-political structures there that have an anti-Russian and anti-Chinese orientation," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministers have also discussed aspects of the new security structure in Eurasia against the backdrop of stagnation of Euro-Atlantic mechanisms, the ministry added.
During the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke on the association's significance due to fully the implemented principles of equal cooperation it is based on. He also added that BRICS is driven forward by the wind of change and its role in global processes will only grow further.
Key points of Sergey Lavrov’s speech during the BRICS foreign ministers' opening meeting
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"BRICS is one of such associations, where the principles of equal cooperation are realized in practice, not in words. Namely, mutual respect, openness, pragmatism, solidarity, continuity and, of course, consensus. I am convinced that BRICS is driven forward by the wind of change. Indeed, its role in solving global problems will only increase," Lavrov said.
Lavrov added that the "steady increase in the number of countries showing genuine interest" in joining the work of the bloc confirms the growing importance of BRICS.
BRICS has started to actively work on the implementation of the decisions of the Johannesburg summit in 2023 on the improvement of the international financial system and the development of a platform for trading in national currencies, Sergey Lavrov also noted.
"Active work is underway to implement the decisions of last year's Johannesburg summit in terms of improving the international monetary and financial system and developing a platform for settlements in national currencies for mutual trade. In accordance with the instructions of the leaders at the Johannesburg summit, we are paying special attention to harmonizing the modalities for establishing a category of partner states of the association," Lavrov said at the BRICS foreign council.
At the same time, work is underway on key Russian initiatives in the transportation sector, on the establishment of a contact group on climate and sustainable development, a working group on nuclear medicine and a medical association, among others, he added.
The meeting of the BRICS foreign ministers is taking place in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod from June 10-11. Russia's sous-sherpa for BRICS, Pavel Knyazev, estimated that about 20-25 nations were expected to attend.
