MOSCOW, October 30. /TASS/. Russia will hold consultations with potential new BRICS partner states as the current president of the association before January 1, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov announced at the International Customs Forum.

“The criteria for inviting partner states to BRICS were discussed by the leaders in Kazan, but our work is far from finished,” Ryabkov said. “In the months leading up to January, the Russian Presidency will contact potential partners. Once we have confirmed their interest in obtaining this status, we will announce the guest list for the coming year.”

This approach received the approval of BRICS leaders, he noted.

“This is the key result of the Kazan summit regarding the outward expansion of BRICS,” added the Deputy Foreign Minister.

Ryabkov highlighted the growing interest in BRICS.

“Currently, more than 30 countries have expressed their desire to engage more closely with BRICS, and many of them have expressed their firm intention to become full members,” he noted. “Remarkably, it has not yet been a year since we expanded our membership, and the simultaneous doubling of the number of participants since January 1 of this year is truly unprecedented in an international structure.”

“Of course, the integration process and the development of cooperative skills will take time. Fortunately, the countries that joined BRICS on January 1 share the association’s culture and traditions, working toward consensus and diligently seeking a common ground despite their divergent positions,” Ryabkov explained. “BRICS countries are motivated by mutual respect and clearly understand that there is no place for diktats in international relations; there are neither leaders nor followers. This dynamic strengthens the attractiveness of BRICS. “

“We aspire that these qualities not only continue, but strengthen. We recognize that this year is crucial for the integration of new arrivals into the broader BRICS framework,” he added. “The process is proceeding successfully and we are grateful to all countries that have joined the association for their support of the Russian presidency and our constructive and effective collaborative efforts.”