Putin gave an interview to the ITAR-TASS news agency ahead ofthe March 26-27 BRICS summit in Durban, South Africa. Apart fromRussia, the bloc consists of Brazil, India, China and the hostcountry.
ITAR-TASS: BRICS' relatively newphenomenon attracts increased global attention due to theoptimistic predictions about its development, especiallyagainst the backdrop of global crisis developments in the worldeconomy. What is BRICS' immediate and long-term significancefor Russia? Is such a format practical for the developmentof relations among these countries?
Vladimir Putin: There are a number of long-term factorsworking on BRICS' success. For the last two decades the economiesof Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have been in thelead of global economic growth. Thus, in 2012, the average GDPgrowth rate in the group amounted to 4 per cent, while for the G7this index was estimated at 0.7 per cent. In addition, GDP of theBRICS countries derived from the national currency purchasing powerparity is currently over 27 per cent of the global GDP and itsshare continues to increase.
BRICS is a key element of the emerging multipolar world. TheGroup of Five has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to thefundamental principles of the international law and contributed tostrengthening the United Nations central role. Our countries do notaccept power politics or violation of other countries' sovereignty.We share approaches to the pressing international issues, includingthe Syrian crisis, the situation around Iran, and Middle Eastsettlement.
The BRICS’ credibility and influence in the world is translatedinto its growing contribution to the efforts to stimulate globaldevelopment. This important matter will be specifically addressedat the BRICS Leaders – Africa Dialogue Forum to be held on thesidelines of the Durban summit.
BRICS members advocate the creation of a more balanced and justsystem of global economic relations. The emerging markets areinterested in long-term sustainable economic growth worldwide andreforms of the financial and economic architecture to make it moreefficient. This is reflected in last year's joint decision tocontribute $75 billion to the IMF lending program, thusincreasing the participation of the fastest growing economies inthe Fund's authorized capital.
Russia, as the initiator of the BRICS format and chair at itsfirst summit in Yekaterinburg in 2009, sees the work withinthis group among its foreign policy priorities. This year,I have approved the Concept of the Russian Federation'sParticipation in the BRICS group, which sets forth strategic goalswe seek to achieve through interaction with our partners fromBrazil, China, India and South Africa.
Such cooperation in international affairs, trade, capitalexchange and humanitarian sphere facilitates the creation of themost favourable environment for further growth of Russian economy,improvement of its investment climate, quality of life andwell-being of our citizens. Our membership in this associationhelps foster privileged bilateral relations with the BRICS nationsbased on the principles of good neighbourliness and mutuallybeneficial cooperation. We believe it crucial to increase Russia'slinguistic, cultural and information presence in the BRICS membernations, as well as expand educational exchanges and personalcontact.
ITAR-TASS: What are the group’sshort-term objectives and how do you see strategic directions forBRICS' economic development?
VP: BRICS identifies what is to be done based on actionplans adopted at the group's annual summits. Last year'sDelhi Action Plan outlined 17 areas ofcooperation, including meetings of Foreign Ministers on thesidelines of the UN General Assembly session, joint meetings ofFinance Ministers and Central Bank Governors on the sidelines ofthe G20, World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings, aswell as contacts between other agencies.
We are currently negotiating a new plan we will discuss at themeeting in Durban. I am confident that it will help us develop acloser partnership. We expect that we will be able to closercoordinate our approaches to key issues on the agenda of theforthcoming G20 summit in St Petersburg, increase our cooperationin the fight against drug trafficking and production, and ourefforts to counter terrorist, criminal and military threats incyberspace.
It is of great importance for Russia to increase its trade andinvestment cooperation with its BRICS partners and launch newmultilateral business projects involving our nations’ businesscommunities. In Durban we intend to announce the formalestablishment of the BRICS Business Council designed to supportthat activity. The summit will be preceded by the BRICS BusinessForum, which will bring together more than 900 business communityrepresentatives from our countries.
ITAR-TASS: The potential of the BRICS economiesbrings up not only the question of economic policy coordination butalso that of close geopolitical interaction. What is BRICS'geopolitical role and mission in today's world? Does it go beyondthe purely economic agenda and should the BRICS countries acceptgreater responsibility for geopolitical processes? What is theirpolicy with regard to the rest of the world, including its majoractors such as the United States, the European Union, Japan… Whatfuture do you see for this association in thisregard?
VP: First and foremost, the BRICS countries seek to helpthe world economy achieve stable and self-sustaining growth andreform the international financial and economic architecture. Ourmajor task is to find ways to accelerate global development,encourage flows of capital in real economy and increase employment.This is particularly important in the context of poor globaleconomic growth rates and unacceptably high unemployment. Althoughthis is mainly true of western countries, the BRICS states are alsonegatively affected; export markets are shrinking, global financelacks stability, and our own economic growth is slowing down.
At the same time, we invite our partners to gradually transformBRICS from a dialogue forum that coordinates approaches to alimited number of issues into a full-scale strategic cooperationmechanism that will allow us to look for solutions to key issues ofglobal politics together.
The BRICS countries traditionally voice similar approaches tothe settlement of all international conflicts through political anddiplomatic means. For the Durban summit, we are working on a jointdeclaration setting forth our fundamental approaches to pressinginternational issues, i.e. crisis in Syria, Afghanistan, Iran andthe Middle East.
We do not view BRICS as a geopolitical competitor to westerncountries or their organisations — on the contrary, we are open todiscussion with any country or organisation that is willing to doso within the framework of the common multipolar world order.
ITAR-TASS: Russia and China are importantstrategic and historic partners. How do you see the significance ofsuch partnership not only for the development of the two countries,but also for the entire system of international relations and theworld economy?
VP: Russia and China are two influential members of theinternational community, they are permanent members of the UNSecurity Council, and they are among the world’s largest economies.That is why the strategic partnership between us is of greatimportance on both a bilateral and global scale.
Today the Russian-Chinese relations are on the rise, they arethe best in their centuries-long history. They are characterised bya high degree of mutual trust, respect for each other's interests,support in vital issues, they are a true partnership and aregenuinely comprehensive.
President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping iscurrently on a state visit to Russia. The fact that the new Chineseleader makes his first foreign trip to our country confirms thespecial nature of strategic partnership between Russia andChina.
In the last five years only, the volume of bilateral trade hasmore than doubled. China has firmly taken the first place among ourtrading partners. In 2012 the Russian-Chinese trade turnoverincreased by 5.2 per cent to constitute $87.5 billion(in 2007 the figure was $40 billion).
The commonality of our approaches to fundamental issues of worldorder and key international problems has become an importantstabilising factor in world politics. Within the framework of theUN, the Group of Twenty, BRICS, the SCO, APEC and othermultilateral formats, we are working together, helping to shape anew, more just world order, ensure peace and security, defend basicprinciples of international law. That is our common contribution tostrengthening sustainable global development.
Russia and China show an example of a balanced and pragmaticapproach to solving the most critical issues, such as the situationin the Middle East and North Africa, nuclear problem on the KoreanPeninsula, situation around Iran’s nuclear program.
ITAR-TASS: Before the BRICS summit your schedulefeatures a working visit to South Africa. What do you expect fromthe upcoming negotiations with South African party? Will this visitgive impetus to the development of bilateralrelations?
VP: Russia and South Africa have old ties of friendshipand mutual respect. Multifaceted cooperation is developing betweenour countries, with constructive political dialogue established atthe highest level, between governments, ministries and agencies.Interparliamentary, interregional, business and humanitariancontacts are consistently expanding.
During the visit to South Africa we certainly hope to give newimpetus to our bilateral relations. The adoption of the Declarationon Strategic Partnership between Russia and South Africa is beingprepared; it will confirm the new quality of our relations,determine key areas of joint work in the future. We plan to sign anumber of important intergovernmental and interagency documents inDurban: the declaration on strategic partnership, the agreements oncooperation in the energy sector, agriculture, etc.
Trade and economic cooperation will be in the focus of ourattention during negotiations. Last year the volume of tradebetween Russia and South Africa grew by 66 per cent and reached$964 million (in 2011 the figure was $580 million).Big Russian businesses, including such companies as Renova, NorilskNickel, Evraz Group, Basic Element, Severstal, Renaissance Capitaland Vnesheconombank are actively entering the South African market,they are interested in further expanding their presence in SouthAfrica.
Russia and South Africa can significantly, by many times,increase the volume of bilateral trade and investments, the numberof mutually beneficial projects in the mining sector, powerindustry (including nuclear power), space exploration, military andtechnical sphere.
We consider it important to develop cooperation in the field ofeducation and culture by strengthening direct ties betweenuniversities, promoting Russian language teaching in South Africaneducational institutions, organising film festivals and tours byleading artists, and exchanging museum exhibitions.
We will discuss practical steps to achieve these goals withPresident Jacob Zuma.
