SA Foreign Min-We Have Agreed On Matter Of BRICS Expansion

Wires reporting comments from South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor claiming that 'We have agreed on the matter of BRICS expansion....We have a document that we have adopted that sets out guidelines and principles on BRICS expansion....More details on BRICS expansion will be made by BRICS leaders before the conclusion of the summit.'

• Judging by these comments it looks certain that more information will come by tomorrow at the latest as part of the 'BRICS and friends' meeting of non-BRICS nations.
• It is unclear whether any official offers/acceptance of membership applications will be announced at the current summit, or whether the document announced by Pandor will simply formalise the accession process.
• There has been significant speculation as to the potential identities of future BRICS nations. The accession of Iran looks unlikely in the short-to-medium term. While China, Russia, and to a lesser extent South Africa have all backed Tehran, India and Brazil could prove more circumspect given their closer diplomatic links with the West.
• Two of the frontrunners are seen as Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. These countries both have relatively strong trade and diplomatic links with the US, and their memberships could soothe western concerns that the BRICS will become a China-led counter to the G7.