JOHANNESBURG /South Africa/, August 23. /TASS/. The next year’s BRICS summit in the Russian Volga area city of Kazan will be the first top-level event of the group with the attendance of newly adopted member states, South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa Anil Sooklal has told TASS.
"Definitely. That's the decision. They have taken a decision to expand, so Russia will be the first meeting of the expanded BRICS family," he said, answering to a reporter’s question.
At the same time, Sooklal did not elaborate on how many countries may join.
"At 8.30 a.m. [on Thursday] local time [9:30 a.m. Moscow time], the leaders are meeting, and there will be a press conference thereafter. So early tomorrow morning, the announcement will be made," he said.
South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said earlier the leaders had eventually come to terms about accepting new members and approved a document specifying membership’s principles, requirements and procedure.