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Riyadh missed BRICS Sherpas meeting in Moscow for 'administrative' reasons — diplomat

"When all the necessary internal discussions in Riyadh are finished, we will have an opportunity to welcome our colleagues from Saudi Arabia at our events, including Sherpa meetings," Sergey Ryabkov noted

MOSCOW, January 30. /TASS/. Saudi Arabia was unable to take part in the BRICS sherpas and sous-sherpas meeting in Moscow for "administrative" reasons, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters.

"There may be different reasons why Saudi Arabia could not participate in the Sherpa meeting. This is an issue of an administrative nature," the deputy minister said.

"When all the necessary internal discussions in Riyadh are finished, we will have an opportunity to welcome our colleagues from Saudi Arabia at our events, including Sherpa meetings," Ryabkov added.

Earlier, Ryabkov, Russia's Sherpa in BRICS, said Saudi Arabia along with other countries joined the group on January 1, 2024.

Reuters reported earlier, citing two sources, that Saudi Arabia was still mulling becoming a member of the BRICS group and had not yet made a final decision. Russia is going by the agreements on Saudi Arabia's membership in BRICS; the Kremlin has no other information, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

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Foreign policy Sergey Ryabkov

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