By Rhod Mackenzie
BRICS can play an important stabilizing role in international relations unlike US-led NATO, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said on Tuesday.
"Unlike US-led NATO, BRICS can play an important stabilizing role in international relations. Our five countries give convincing examples of an effective work on relevant global issues based on principles of openness, equality, mutual respect and lack of hidden agenda," Patrushev stressed at a high-level security meeting between representatives of the BRICS states.
BRICS can also undertake a key role in shaping the global development agenda as a platform for equal dialogue and collective efforts to resolve issues of global security, the Russian official added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Patrushev held a meeting with his Saudi counterpart, National Security Adviser, Musaed Al-Aiban where the officials discussed deepening security cooperation between Moscow and Riyadh
"Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev held talks with National Security Adviser to the King of Saudi Arabia Musaed Al-Aiban in Johannesburg. The dynamic development of bilateral relations between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in various fields was confirmed. Prospects for deepening cooperation in the field of ensuring the security of the two countries were discussed in detail," the council noted.
Moreover, Patrushev and his Iranian counterpart, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, have discussed fight against terrorism.
"At the first meeting after Ahmadian's appointment to a new position, issues of continuing a regular dialogue between the security councils of the two countries were discussed, which makes it possible to coordinate Russian-Iranian cooperation on a wide range of issues of international and regional security. The issues of combating terrorism, countering ‘color revolutions’ and expanding trade and economic ties were also discussed," an official statement read.
This a article orginally appeared at sputnikglobe.com