BRICS States warn of trade disputes with the United States

At the three-day meeting that ended yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov praised the principle of "constructive and equal polycentrism in international relations." Yesterday, Johannesburg hosted the annual meeting of Heads of State and Government. The BRICS countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are coming to an end. Ten years after its creation, this alternative to the top of the seven largest G7 economies represents not only one-third of the world's population, but nearly a quarter of the world's economic output.

In addition to the representatives of the BRICS countries, the leaders of Argentina, Angola, Senegal, Zimbabwe and Turkey, who wish to collaborate with the group within the framework of BRICS-Plus cooperation, were also present at the summit. Joao Lourenco, president of the African Petroleum Country of Angola, hailed the meeting as "an increasingly important forum facing a world order adapted to Western industrialized countries", also becoming "a voice of developing countries in the world".

The Final Declaration Calls for "Comply with Global Trade Rules"

In their joint final declaration, the BRICS countries announce that they will continue to expand their trade, which has grown by 30% in 2017 and reduce the "administrative barriers" to the "huge potential". Free economic cooperation. "In addition, they want to establish their own anti-terrorist coalition and call for" respect for global trade rules. "

The latter should above all be considered a reference to US President Donald Trump, who recently imposed tariffs on a number of goods from China and announced other tariffs (see Trade War: Trump on the longer lever.) At the beginning of the BRICS meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping had already warned that no one could win a trade war and that anyone who incited a war "would only do harm."

He wants to tackle the consequences of the rising price of American soybeans and 39, other agricultural products for his own economy by countervailing duties imposed by his government with an agreement concluded in Johannesburg with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa: Dollars inves Much of it is destined for agriculture, which suffers in South Africa from what is called the "Plaasmorden", because of which farmers fled to the island. Australia, New Zealand and Russia (Venda Ramaphosa replaces Zulu Zuma).

Putin invited Trump to Moscow

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who also attended the Johannesburg meeting, praised the BRICS Alliance as an "important stabilizing factor", "a unique example of building intercultural relations between different states "and models for" sound and versatile approaches in international affairs. "The five states, in its terms, represent the principle of" constructive and equal polycentrism in international relations "and "Work together in a spirit of mutual respect and mutual benefit, with due regard to mutual interests."

Lavrov's boss, Vladimir Putin, responded to news in Johannesburg that he would visit Donald Trump in Washington next year, commenting that he was quite ready and added that he had also invited Trump to Moscow.These personal meetings are important because they would bring more than just phone calls. And issues such as the situation in the Middle East, nuclear control and the nuclear agreement with Iran, there is still much to discuss.

Originally, Trump had told his spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders that he had ordered John Bolton, a national security adviser, to invite Putin to Washington for the first time. autumn (see Putin's autumn visit to Washington?). Shortly after, Bolton announced that the visit of the Russian president would take place only next year.
( Peter Muehlbauer )