An open, diverse, representative, secure, fair and equal world is the world that Russia aspires to, President Vladimir Putin said.
During a speech at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club on Thursday, the Russian leader listed six points describing the peace that Russia aspires to, RIA Novosti reports.
"The first. We want to live in an open, interconnected world in which no one will ever try to erect artificial barriers to people's communication, their creative realization and prosperity. There should be a barrier–free environment – that's what we should strive for," Putin said.
"The second: we want the diversity of the world not just to be preserved, but to be the foundation of universal development," the Russian leader continued. He stated that "imposing on any country or people how to live, how to feel" should be prohibited. "Only true cultural and civilizational diversity will ensure the well–being of people and a balance of interests," Putin stressed.
"Third. We are for maximum representativeness. No one has the right, nor can they rule the world for others or on behalf of others. The world of the future is a world of collective decisions made at the levels at which they are most effective, and by the composition of participants who are really able to make a significant contribution to the settlement of a specific problem. Not one person decides for everyone, and not everyone even decides about everything, but those who are directly concerned with this or that issue agree on what to do and how to do it," the president said.
The fourth point the Head of State called universal security and lasting peace, built on respect for the interests of all: from great, big states to small countries. He noted the importance of ridding international relations of the "bloc approach, the legacy of the colonial era and the Cold War." "We have been talking for decades about the indivisibility of security, that it is impossible to ensure the security of some at the expense of the security of others," Putin said. "And indeed, harmony in this area is achievable. We just need to put aside pride, arrogance and stop looking at others as "second–class" partners or as outcasts or savages," he said.
The fifth point is justice for all. "The era of exploitation of anyone, I have already said this twice, in the past. Countries and peoples are clearly aware of their interests and capabilities and are ready to rely on themselves – and this multiplies their strength. Everyone should be provided with access to the benefits of modern development, and attempts to restrict it for any country or people should be considered as an act of aggression, that's right," the Russian leader said.
"The sixth: we are for equality, for the difference in the potentials of different countries," Putin said. He stressed that "no one is ready to submit anymore, to make their interests and needs dependent on anyone, first of all from the rich and powerful. This is not just a natural state of the international community, it is the quintessence of the entire historical experience of mankind."
"These are the principles that we want to adhere to ourselves, and to which we invite all our friends and colleagues to join," the president summed up.
Earlier, Putin called a condition for establishing a lasting peace.
