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Brazil, Russia, India and China wrapped up their second BRIC summit on Friday, calling for new a multi-polar order for new global changes.
The gathering of the world's top emerging economies was truncated and brought forward a day to ensure the participation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, who announced he had to race home to oversee the response to the quake.
"Brazil, Russia, India and China have a fundamental role in the construction of a fairer international order," the summit's host, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, told a closing media conference.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also called the summit "very successful" and described the BRIC grouping as key to "contributing to world economic growth and prosperity."
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also added that the meeting showed "the BRIC format is becoming full-fledged and allows us to not only coordinate our efforts but to also make concrete decisions."
A joint statement emphasized the group's intent to see a "multipolar, equitable and democratic world order" result from a shake-up of international financial institutions and the United Nations to better reflect the aspirations of their emerging economies.
It also spoke of "the importance of maintaining relative stability of major reserve currencies and sustainability of fiscal policies in order to achieve a strong, long-term balanced economic growth."
That vague clause appeared to refer to China's reluctance to unlink its yuan from the US dollar -- a policy that has boosted China's exports but raised cries of unfair currency manipulation by countries including the United States.
A trilateral summit between Brazil, India and South Africa held just before the BRIC summit agreed that more diplomacy was required in the international standoff with Iran over its peaceful nuclear program.
Lula, Singh and South African President Jacob Zuma "recognized the right of Iran to develop nuclear programs for peaceful purposes" and underlined "the need for a peaceful and diplomatic solution of the issue."
Brazil, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, has resolutely defended Iran.
"Our impression... is that the effectiveness of sanctions is debatable," Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim told reporters, adding that Lula had set out that position in talks with the leaders of China and India.
"President Lula gave an explanation, to provide better transparency, on what we've done in relation with Iran. And we see great affinity with the points of view of each country," Amorim said. Lula also discussed the issue with Medvedev.
The US, Britain, France and Germany have been urging the BRICs to support illegal sanctions against Iran.
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