JOHANNESBURG, August 22. /TASS/. The leaders of BRICS countries capped off the first day of the summit by meeting to discuss pressing global issues and the expansion of the group that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, a diplomatic source told TASS.
"The meeting, which took place at the Summer Place hotel compound behind closed doors, did not have a pre-agreed agenda," the person said. "Each participant could raise any issue they felt necessary to discuss with their counterparts."
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is chairing the summit, said on his way to the meeting that the prospect of admitting new members into BRICS would come under discussion.
Discussions at the summit have suggested that the leaders of the BRICS member countries are leaning toward opening membership prospects to three to five countries. Formal applications to join BRICS have been submitted by 22 countries to date.
BRICS enlargement is on the agenda of the summit's plenary session that is scheduled for the morning of August 23. Ramaphosa is poised to hold a news conference after the session, where he is likely to announce the decision by the leaders of the BRICS countries regarding the potential expansion, including when and how it would happen.