BRICS Countries Agree on Expansion Rules

Leaders of the BRICS bloc of leading developing nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — agreed on mechanisms for considering new members, South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said on Wednesday. The question of expanding BRICS remained up in the air following a divergence of vision among the group's members, including Brazil, which is concerned that expansion will dilute its influence. "We have a document that we've adopted which sets out guidelines and principles, processes for considering countries that wish to become members of BRICS ... That's very positive," Pandor said on Ubuntu Radio, a station run by South Africa's foreign ministry. Pandor added the bloc's leaders would make a more detailed announcement on expansion before the summit concludes on Thursday.