Key Takeaways
- BRICS issued a joint statement calling for maximum restraint in the Middle East.
- The bloc condemned strikes on nuclear sites, warning of breaches of international law.
- The statement addressed crises in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, and Syria, calling for ceasefires.
The 11-nation BRICS group, including China, Russia, Iran, and the UAE, issued a joint statement on Saturday urging 'maximum restraint' in the Middle East, marking a shift from previous divisions among member states.
The statement, released on the opening day of the group's summit in New Delhi, called for avoiding actions that could further inflame the conflict and demanded protection for civilians, sovereignty, and the free flow of trade, energy, and shipping through the region.
Specifically, the bloc condemned strikes on nuclear sites, warning that attacks on facilities under the safeguard of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) breached international law.
The declaration expressed serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under full safeguards of the IAEA, in violation of international law and relevant resolutions of the IAEA.
The statement addressed crises in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, and Syria, calling for ceasefires and humanitarian access across all four regions.
Reaching any consensus at all marked a shift from May, when BRICS foreign ministers meeting in the Indian capital failed to agree on a joint text on the Middle East due to sharply differing views among member states.
Foreign policy analysts said the common statement reflected the bloc's effort to maintain dialogue despite disagreements among its members.
The declaration was unlikely to immediately alter the course of the conflict but showed an attempt by emerging economies to present a coordinated position.
China's president, Xi Jinping, used the summit to press for a political settlement, telling the state broadcaster CCTV that the war served nobody's interests.
He stated, 'Relevant parties must remain committed to a political settlement and work towards achieving a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.'
