BRICS vow to fight for multipolar international order

ANKARA

BRICS member-states stressed the importance of a multipolar international order and the need for multilateral efforts to resolve regional and global issues.

In a joint statement late Thursday after its 11th summit, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- BRICS – underlined the "urgent need to strengthen and reform the multilateral system, including the UN, the WTO, the IMF and other international organizations".

They vowed to continue working to make international organizations "more inclusive, democratic and representative".

Regarding the military, political and economic crisis in Syria, BRICS said there can be no military solution to the conflict in the war-thorn country and urged a Syrian-led, UN-facilitated political process in line with UN resolutions.

“We reaffirm our strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria,” the member countries said in the "Regional Situations" part of the 73-article joint statement.

“We call on all parties to allow for unhindered humanitarian aid and to fully implement a sustainable ceasefire in the Idlib region, which does not encompass terrorist groups and entities that are designated as such by the UN Security Council,” it said.

“We also reaffirm our commitment to advancing a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned, UN-facilitated political process in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 2015],” the statement said expressing support for the creation of the Constitutional Committee.

Putting its weight behind the Oct. 22 Turkey-Russia agreement on Northern Syria, the BRICS nations also mentioned the need to protect civilians under international human rights law throughout the territory of Syria.

“We reaffirm the international obligations to fight terrorism in all its forms and highlight the importance of unity in the fight against terrorist organizations in Syria that are designated as such by the UN Security Council,” it added.

On raging conflict in Yemen between Saudi Arabia-UAE alliance and Iran-backed Houthis, BRICS voiced concern about the deteriorating humanitarian crisis and sought rapid, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian personnel and supplies across the country in line with the Stockholm process and UN efforts.

Since 2015, tens of thousands of Yemenis, including numerous civilians, are believed to have been killed in the conflict, while another 14 million are at risk of starvation, according to the UN.

2 state solution to Palestinian conflict

On resolution of Palestinian conflict, BRICS stressed that the conflicts elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa “should not be used as pretext to delay resolution of the long-standing Palestinian-Israeli conflict”.

“Guided by the international framework in place, such as the relevant UN resolutions, the Madrid principles and the Arab Peace Initiative, we reiterate that the two-state solution will enable Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side, in peace and security,” the statement said.

The multi-national bloc called for "new and creative diplomatic efforts" to achieve a just and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Afghan-owned, Afghan-led peace process

On Afghanistan, the BRICS said it supports initiatives that will ensure stability, inclusiveness, peace and prosperity in the country.

“We firmly believe that there is no military solution to the situation in Afghanistan. We reaffirm our support for a process of peace and reconciliation that is Afghan-owned and Afghan-led,” it said expressing concern over the “persistence of terrorist-related attacks”.

Intense clashes between the government forces and Taliban insurgents are being reported in Afghanistan amid various initiatives to reinvigorate peace talks in different world capitals.

According to Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, the past six months were the deadliest months for civilians in Afghanistan with casualties of 6,487 civilians, including women and children (1,611 killed and 4876 injured) during the armed conflict in the country.

Afghanistan, dubbed my many as the graveyard of empires, has resisted foreign occupation for decades at a catastrophic cost.

12th BRICS summit in 2020 is to be hosted by Russia in St. Petersburg.