Russian lawmaker proposes adopting memorandum on inter-parliamentary cooperation between BRICS countries

MOSCOW, June 5. /TASS/. Russian Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko has proposed Monday to prepare and adopt a memorandum on goals and objectives of inter-parliamentary cooperation in the framework of BRICS "A contact group with the participation of experts could prepare a draft document. And we could adopt the document at our next meeting," Matviyenko told the BRICS parliamentary forum. She stressed that annual meetings between BRICS parliamentarians "should be regular and stable." The BRICS parliamentary forum "will become a very promising association which will provide a principally new basis for inter-parliamentary cooperation between our countries," Matviyenko said. She noted the priority importance of ratifying the agreements signed in the framework of BRICS. "Our task is to render parliamentary assistance to cooperation in economy, culture, science, education, healthcare, sports and other spheres," she stressed. The Federation Council chairperson added that one of the most important spheres of BRICS parliamentarians’ cooperation is "putting forward joint initiatives on a wide range of pressing issues at international platforms," including issues of strengthening peace and security, reforming international financial and economic architecture and fighting international terrorism. BRICS is an association of five major emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - founded in June 2006. The first official summit took place in June 2009 in Russia’s Yekaterinburg. Since then, meetings at the highest level are held annually in member-countries. The last summit took place in Brazil. On April 1, Russia accepted BRICS presidency. On June 8, BRICS first parliamentary summit opened in Moscow. Read more