Ryabkov Gives TASS End of Year BRICS Assessment

TASS interviewed Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Number Two man and head “Sherpa” liaison with BRICS Sergei Ryabkov and published it at its Russian language site o 17 December. The article’s title tells us its content, so let’s dive right in:

Sergei Ryabkov: "almost everything worked out" with BRICS

On the Results of Russia's Chairmanship of the World's Majority Countries

Disclosure phase

— You opened the year of our BRICS presidency for us at the TASS Analytical Center, and now this year is coming to an end. What worked out and what didn't work so well? To what extent has our program been implemented? Were there any surprises, and if so, what was the most unexpected?

"Almost everything worked out. I would like to note the surprisingly positive, energetic response of the newcomers to all initiatives and proposals. The creative contribution of many participants to solving the most intricate problems, such as the creation of a financial and banking infrastructure alternative to Western payment systems and adjacent elements.

As for the disappointments, progress is slower than we would like on the tracks of practical cooperation between the BRICS, aimed, for example, at the creation of commodity exchanges. Although the idea has been implemented. The need to thoroughly explain the logic of the investment platform. It would seem to be an obvious thing: we do not have it, and it needs to be implemented, but we have to spend a lot of effort and time to chew up what's what.

As for the lack of institutional strengthening of the BRICS, this is not a disappointment. Because BRICS is going through a phase of opening up to partner states and now is not the time for that. Some encumbrances in the form of international secretariats or other superstructures would only overload the boat.

Nine and a Half

— Just about organizational issues. What is BRICS now: "ten"? "Nine"? Do we count the Saudis or not?

- "Nine and a half", as in the title of the famous film (the tragicomedy "8 1/2" by Federico Fellini and the erotic melodrama "Nine and a Half Weeks" by Adrian Lyne are known - approx. TASS). There is no progress. Saudi Arabia continues in the same genre as it began in January of the outgoing year. Participation in events that are of interest to her and some distance from the development of documents and joint decision-making.

- How do the "recruits" of the association show themselves?

— As mature, well-trained, energetic partners. No slippage, no artificial puffs of anything and a good response to new ideas.

— By the way, let's talk about partners. Is the status of a "partner country" clear, is it quite formed? And if so, what is its peculiarity compared to full membership?

- The status is quite developed. All States that have been invited to become partners have received detailed and specific explanations of what this status implies. By and large, it involves participation in the BRICS mechanisms (in some automatically, and in others by a separate consensus decision of the participating countries). And submitting their own ideas, if the partners have any, to the judgment of the "old-timers" - but without participating in the approval of documents and, of course, voting. In this sense, they are not allowed to make decisions.

—And what is the state of Syria's application? Roughly speaking, if the new authorities of the country confirm the application, will we be ready to consider it?

— Without a doubt. We are seriously considering the applications of all countries, and Syria is no exception. But we do not rush anyone, do not stimulate them to anything, and respect any choice. In the end, this is too serious an issue to chase formal indicators in terms of the composition of the participants.

No "harmful influences"

— Let's move on to the content. You mentioned that one of the most important areas is the system of payments and settlements. Do we understand now how far the partners are ready to go? If, say, in the new year, Brazil and Iran, as I was told at the financial forum of the association in Moscow, are ready to move from words to deeds, will we keep them company?

— Of course. Moreover, the rest will keep them company! The scheme that is now on the table and which will be implemented is not a dollar substitution scheme in all calculations. This is a scheme for creating an additional contour for working in conditions where the main and familiar dollar channel fails for reasons beyond the control of the BRICS.

I will add that the financial scheme in itself, important as it is, is not sufficient for the system to function properly. We also need clearing mechanisms (we are also dealing with them) and transaction insurance systems, including insurance for the movement of goods and cargo, which would also not depend on harmful influences from the outside. Taken together, this is the minimum that could allow the BRICS to say that things have moved forward and a real alternative has appeared.

— I will still clarify. I was told about the same readiness to get down to business hypothetically. Is there such a real prospect?

— It is not just there. It is not hypothetical.

— There was also a lot of talk about space. Is there any common project emerging?

— If we talk about practical projects, today everything revolves in one way or another around what was created a few years ago. This is a constellation of remote sensing satellites, to which the countries that were members of the BRICS at that stage made their national contributions in various forms.

And it works: these products are in demand, they are used. Now the question is that new participants should join this scheme, this agreement. Here, too, there is a certain movement; I hope that in the year of the Brazilian presidency it will be more intensive.

— Now the topic of artificial intelligence is on everyone's lips. Is it also in the foreground in BRICS?

— Artificial intelligence is already among the main topics. But to an even greater extent, this topic will set the tone for the Brazilian presidency.

The specifics will be worked out in the mode of public-private partnership. The difficulties lie in the convergence of efforts: different countries have made different progress on this platform. There are obvious, objective leaders, and China is in the foreground. There are niche areas that are successfully moving forward in this area in each of the countries. There are also laggards; We will pull them up.

— And the idea of the BRICS Human Rights Center that has just been voiced — is it taken out of thin air or is it something real, discussed and planned?

— A sign of the popularity and recognition of BRICS is that many are now beginning to stick this label, this "trademark" on their own projects. I am not sure that this adds dynamics (God grant that it will be so), but it is in this area that such a structure – informal, networked, uniting those who are engaged in this professionally and sustainably – would be useful. Because in this area, too, an objective view of things is needed, not distorted by Western ideology.

Ways out of dead ends

— I completely agree. I would like to move on to the problems and challenges, among which the threat of Trump regarding the dominance of the dollar is in the foreground. Like, just take a swing at the sacred, it will not seem enough. How serious and dangerous is it?

"We are ready to explain to Trump and anyone else that we are not encroaching on the dollar. We draw conclusions from the irresponsible and fundamentally flawed policies that Washington has pursued in this area under successive administrations (including Mr. Trump's first administration).

A classic assessment was given by our president: they are sawing off the branch on which they are sitting. This is true. In the absence of a way out of the impasses that the United States creates for itself and others, the ways out have to be created by ourselves.

As for threats, we are used to the fact that the United States, regardless of the party coloration of the figures in the White House, uses nothing but threats. By and large, they have forgotten how to negotiate—no matter how much the future owner of the White House declares his commitment to the "policy of deals". By the way, let's check how ready he is for transactions.

Can we expect any reaction, maybe even a collective one, from the BRICS? I don't remember such collective demarches. Do we not have such "soft power" or do we simply not show it?

I have not read stronger joint statements on the situation in the Middle East than those two pages of a very dense and really super-energetic text that are devoted to this block of topics in the Kazan Declaration.

I agree that BRICS is underperforming in terms of a quick and dynamic response to the changing situation. This is partly due to the fact that there are nuances in the approaches of countries to various kinds of subjects. In part, it is due to the lack of a culture of rapid response. We will form it.

In the past, there have been situations where thematic specialized statements have been issued. We will build up opportunities for their widespread promotion, including so that they are recognized by a wider audience as a "BRICS" product.

Do not cross a grass snake with a hedgehog

— So, regarding public statements — just my oversight. On the topic of the day — about Syria. If we deliberately escalate: the special operation of the militants and those who stand behind them does not nullify our plans? And on BRICS, and on the transition to a multipolar world in general? And on geostrategic projects like the North-South corridor?

— It doesn't make it easier, of course. But it does not reset either. Instead, it mobilizes and consolidates the will. As for transport corridors, there were no current plans to create such in the territory or components of this territory that are now in the hands of people who were irreconcilably opposed to the government of Bashar al-Assad.

There are other, no less significant geopolitical consequences of what is happening, which one of the new members of the BRICS, namely Iran, formulates better than we do, calling the groups most affected by what is happening the "axis of resistance". But this is all from the category of a different geopolitics.

"And who's behind the scenes?" Who is trying to give us a "counter check"? Kyiv is not visible?

- The United States is definitely visible. Of course, Israel is the beneficiary of what happened. And I would like to warn certain "hotheads" in West Jerusalem against the intoxication of opportunities. And to remind them, among other things, that the annexation of the Golan Heights, which many are now talking about, is categorically unacceptable. Israel needs to return to the full implementation of the well-known 1974 agreement with Syria.

— Do we discuss such topics with our partners in BRICS? Can BRICS help resolve the situation in any way?

In BRICS, we discuss everything related to the Middle East. Of course, this situation will also be the subject of consideration. Moreover, BRICS has long established a format of specialized consultations on the Middle East at the level of relevant deputy foreign ministers.

And since the topic of an inclusive political process is becoming more and more relevant, during which the framework of the future political structure in terms of the organization and functioning of the Syrian government should be determined, and since what we see today is quite fragmented and literally transitional in nature, of course, BRICS will naturally make this a subject of discussion. I hope that not just a discussion, but in-depth coordination and, ideally, the development of common approaches.

- In one comment, I came across the idea that, they say, Moscow did not resist too much in Syria, so that the West would not be too reluctant on Ukraine. Is such a thing even imaginable?

- I am against such artificial and detached from reality schemes. In Michurin's time, attempts were made to graft pears on apple trees. In the first generation of trees, something worked out somewhere. But genetically, these experiments were not successful. The same is true here: attempts to either cross a grass snake with a hedgehog or exchange a kilogram of oranges for half an all-inclusive day (all-inclusive resort service - approx. TASS) in Turkey. I can't imagine this.

No seams or pauses

"Good. The final short section is about the prospects. We are now handing over powers in BRICS to Brazil. For us, what does this mean: we take a breath and close the topic until the next presidency?

— There are two weeks left until the end of the Russian year. And during this time, we must finally bring the situation with partners to mind, publish a list of those with whom we have agreed on everything. And to hand over the reins (which was nominally done in Yekaterinburg, but in fact will take place after the partners are announced) to the Brazilians. And they will start without hesitation as soon as the Christmas holidays are over.

"I'm asking about us. We have worked our year, and now we have a respite?

"Let's do this. First of all, the burden of the chairmanship, including the organizational side of holding events, coordinating calendars, aligning schedules with other international events–-of course, this burden will leave us. This will be done by the Brazilians. They are already doing this, like any chairmanship.

These are our initiatives put forward in the year of our presidency. And there are many questions there. Further, we have ideas in the field of harmonizing the activities of tax services. We have a lot of procurement for customs affairs. We are capable of holding a whole series of events in support of the Brazilian presidency on our territory, if the other participants agree. Because any decisions – both on sensitive and less sensitive issues – in BRICS are made by consensus.

— Yes, we have always emphasized this. Will the Foreign Ministry or some special structure be engaged in further coordination in Russia?

— The Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It will do as it has done.

A ray of hope

— Finally, I would like to hope that the new year will be more calm and peaceful than the outgoing one. But there is no certainty about this. In your opinion, what conditions are needed for this and is the world majority, including in the BRICS format, ready to contribute to the formation of such conditions?

— The world majority is already doing this — and in the most active way. All those countries that have recently put forward initiatives aimed at resolving the crisis in Ukraine and around it are in one way or another connected with BRICS. Either they are part of the association, or, as we hope, they will become partners in the very near future.

But it is not only within this framework that the influence of the world majority on what is happening can be seen. It is also manifested in the fact that when voting on many issues at the UN General Assembly and at other venues, we do not see the same timidity in defending national views (including as a counter to or as a counterbalance to what is imposed by the collective West) in this group.

And the existence of BRICS is, in a sense, a "ray of hope" for those who, in the absence of BRICS, would probably find it more difficult to form a nationally oriented sovereign foreign policy. [My Emphasis]

Surprised there wasn’t further follow-up on the Saudi 9 1/2 issue—are members/partners going to be allowed a part-time status? That seems very unfair to other members/partners. Even more surprised that Syria was under consideration. The financial architecture and all things related to the proper conduct of international trade begs to be finished, and many think that Brazil won’t provide the energy needed to make that reality because of Lula’s many handicaps. Trump IMO will be easy to tell-off if he behaves as his usual tactless self. Rubio as SoS will likely inflame most members/partners as he’s worse than Trump. Many are saying BRICS needs to build a military organization capable of countering NATO. IMO, there are many other things that must be done before such a critical move can be made—a much greater degree of solidarity and solidity of the members/partners and resolution of the entire financial and international trade mechanisms. The commodity exchange was also mentioned and is part of all that. So, there’re some very serious projects that must first be completed before any talk of a military alliance can commence. Establishing a Secretariat was also suggested by many to facilitate coordination as BRICS expands. And that brings up the issue of financing BRICS and its bank—that isn’t at all transparent as I discovered when looking for data on that issue. And a final question I’ve heard many ask: Did BRICS expand too soon? Well, it’s too late to really deal with that now as the expansion has happened and the additional work related to it still needs to be finalized. Russia and Team Putin did a very good job in 2024. Somehow, Lula and Brazil need to improve upon Russia’s efforts.

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