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Our Bric friends like our politics: Zuma

Cape Town - South Africa's new partners in Brics appreciated the smallest member of the club's independent outlook on international politics, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday, adding that he had briefed them on his diplomatic efforts in Libya.

"Although our Brics partners are leading economies in the world, South Africa nevertheless brings unique attributes which complement the Brics mechanism," Zuma told a press conference in Sanya, China, with other Brics heads of state.

"At a political level, our partners appreciate our unique value system which derives from our history and a particular experience.

"We believe that they value the independent outlook we contribute to issues related to international peace, security and development."

South Africa's inclusion in Brics is viewed with scepticism in some quarters because its economy is a quarter of the size of that of Brazil and Russia and an 18th of that of China.

Zuma has rejected suggestions that South Africa is punching above its weight in the club of the world's top emerging economic powers

He told the media briefing that the other member nations viewed South Africa as a major economic player on a continent with a growing economy.

He mainly stressed the political advantages of closer co-operation with Brazil, China, India and Russia, pointing out that all member states served on the United Nations Security Council this year.

"This augurs positively for enhanced co-operation efforts."

Zuma said the South African delegation had "seized the opportunity" to brief the Brics leaders about the African Union's peace and security initiatives, including its attempts to mediate in the civil war in Libya.

"We provided a briefing on the situation in Libya and the importance of the African Union roadmap, which is designed to assist the Libyans towards a lasting political solution, which should be based on the will of the Libyan people.

"We underscored our support for multilateralism and the United Nations system, but are also agreed on the need for the reform of the United Nations including the UN Security Council, to make it more representative and effective."

Zuma met with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi earlier this week in a bid to broker a ceasefire and open talks between the regime and rebels.

South Africa voted in support of the UN resolution to impose a no-fly zone over the North African state, but later accused allied forces of exceeding their mandate and seeking to topple Gaddafi.
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