BRICS Foreign Ministers to meet in Beijing on June 18-19

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday said that the Foreign Ministers of BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) will meet in Beijing on June 18-19.

This was decided during the second meeting of BRICS Sherpas (personal representatives of head of state) and Sous-Sherpas held in China's Shandong Province from 14 to 15 June.

It was chaired by Li Baodong, Sherpa for BRICS affairs and Vice Foreign Minister of China and attended by Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas of BRICS countries and representatives from the New Development Bank.

"During the meeting, a detailed discussion was held on the further steps on enhancing five-party strategic cooperation and also current issues related to preparations for the upcoming events of a high and the highest level as part of the group - the meeting of foreign ministers on June 18-19 in Beijing, an informal meeting of leaders on the sidelines of the G20 in July in Hamburg and the ninth summit on September 3-5 in Xiamen," Tass news agency quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying.

Participants to the meeting had a systematic review of the progress made by BRICS countries in the political field, security, economy, trade, finance, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, institutional building and other key cooperation areas.

They focused and reached broad consensus on the expected outcomes of the Xiamen Summit, BRICS Leaders' Informal Meeting in Hamburg and the Dialogue of Emerging Markets and Developing Countries, as well as preparations for the Meeting of National Security Advisers and the Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, said an official release.

All participants agreed to continue to strengthen the BRICS partnership, deepen practical cooperation across the board, and jointly usher in the second "golden decade" of BRICS cooperation.

The parties expressed their willingness to continue to fully back China's effort and work together to make the Xiamen Summit a great success.