MADRID, April 25. /TASS/. BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) are working to find consensus on the issue of expanding the alliance, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said in an interview with Spain’s El Mundo published on Tuesday.

"Currently, a discussion is underway within BRICS on its expansion but we are looking for consensus," the top Brazilian diplomat said. "But if we agree on expanding the union, then, of course, Argentina will be Brazil’s candidate," he added.

"What was discussed during a visit to Buenos Aires and then in Montevideo and in a conversation with Paraguayan President [Mario Abdo Benitez], as well as with other countries, such as India and China, involved a payment system in national currencies and not a common currency. This is a payment instrument," Vieira explained. "[Introducing] a common currency, such as the euro, requires a lot of time. There are still some EU countries that are not in the Euro[zone] or have just joined it," he added.

"We would like to make bilateral payments in trade using corresponding currencies, bypassing strong currencies, thus avoiding burdensome transfer expenses," the Brazilian foreign minister concluded.