Lavrov backs BRICS pause Consensus and chair rotation

Jun 24

After Dynkin invites Samir Saran's question about BRICS enlargement and its agenda, Lavrov describes adaptation after membership doubled from five to ten and supports avoiding further expansion for another couple of years. He says partners can participate meanwhile and later enlargement remains possible. Recalling the foreign ministers' meeting in India, he says Iran and the UAE exchanged heated views about the Gulf but a joint document was nevertheless produced; he does not claim their conflict was resolved. He opposes a rigid, bureaucratic BRICS organization, favors agendas set by the rotating chair with continuity between chairs and cites ongoing work on Russia's Kazan initiatives during India's chairmanship. This is his explanation and endorsement of the approach, not a newly adopted June 24 membership decision or a completed future enlargement.

Responding to Samir Saran, Lavrov supports allowing enlarged BRICS membership to adapt and avoiding further expansion for another couple of years. Partners can participate meanwhile and he leaves later enlargement open. He favors a flexible association, rotating-chair agendas and continuity, opposes bureaucratization and uses Delhi's difficult consensus discussion as an example. His address also defends equality and consensus in BRICS. This is his June 24 endorsement and explanation, not a newly adopted collective moratorium or membership decision.