Russian Foreign Ministry: BRICS countries discuss principles of alliance expansion

The BRICS countries are discussing the principles of the alliance's expansion process, as reported by TASS referring to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. 

Ivan Nechayev, deputy director of the information and press department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said at a briefing on Thursday, August 11, that the establishment of criteria for the accession of new BRICS members is already underway.

Nechayev stressed that the issue of BRICS expansion requires "a very subtle approach", taking into account the positions of all members of the association. At the same time, BRICS does not seek to be a closed group. 

"BRICS is the embodiment of openness and inclusiveness, a readiness to fully consider the interests of all members of the international community, especially developing countries," Ivan Nechayev said. 

Two months earlier Iran and Argentina applied to join the BRICS, and later it became known that Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Algeria would also like to become part of the alliance. In addition, Cuba's ambassador expressed the need for economic cooperation with the BRICS. According to Nechaev, new countries may be admitted to the BRICS alliance.

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