Russia will conduct consultations with potential new BRICS partner states as the current chair of the association before January 1, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.
He noted the criteria for inviting partner states to BRICS were discussed by the leaders in Kazan, but the work is far from over.
"In the months leading up to January, the Russian presidency will reach out to potential partners. Once we confirm their interest in obtaining this status, we will announce the list of invitees for the coming year," Ryabkov said.
According to him, this approach has received approval from BRICS leaders. The official emphasized the increasing interest in BRICS.
The BRICS Summit was held in the capital of Tatarstan on October 22-24.
