Thu Nov 14 08:01:46 UTC 2024: ## Turkey Offered Partner Status by BRICS, Not Full Membership: Trade Minister

**ANKARA, Turkey** – Turkey has been offered partner country status by the BRICS group of nations, Trade Minister Omer Bolat announced Wednesday. This comes after Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan attended a BRICS summit last month, where Ankara formally expressed interest in joining the group.

Bolat stated that the partner country status is a transition process within the BRICS organizational structure. He emphasized that Turkey sees BRICS as a platform for enhanced economic cooperation with member states, not as a replacement for its Western ties and NATO membership. Turkish officials have consistently maintained that any involvement in BRICS would not impact Turkey’s commitments to the Western military alliance.

While the partner country proposal was discussed during the Kazan summit, an AK Party official revealed that it falls short of Turkey’s aspirations for full membership. The official did not confirm whether Ankara has accepted the offer.

The BRICS group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and several other partner countries, introduced the partner category at its recent summit in Kazan. The group aims to foster economic cooperation and development among its members.

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