BRICS cooperation symposium opens in Beijing

BEIJING, March 24 (Itar-Tass) - An international scientific symposium
on the theme of "BRICS countries -- Development, Cooperation,
Co-Prosperity" opened here on Thursday ahead of April's BRICS summit.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Russian Academy of
Sciences, the "Unity in the Name of Russia" and "Russian World"
Foundations are taking part in the symposium. China is represented by the
Center for the Study of the Contemporary World. Experts from Brazil,
India, and the Republic of South Africa are also to take the floor.
Vyacheslav Nikonov, Executive Director of the Russian World
Foundation, has told Itar-Tass, "The Symposium is held ahead of BRICS 3rd
summit which is to take place on the Chinese island of Hainan in April.
Our meeting, which is held at experts' level, can be referred to as a
'second track' of the summit".
Scientists, diplomats, and public figures will discuss cooperation
among BRICS countries and make an estimate of challenges, including
matters connected with the situation in the Middle East and North Africa,
Nikonov pointed out.
"The enlargement of our Organization to have five members that
represent various continents, signifies that it develops even quicker than
was predicted by observers. It was earlier supposed that BRICS countries
would reach out to leading positions in the world by the 2040s, whereas
now this is expected to happen earlier, by the 2020s," Nikonov said.
"In theory, it cannot be ruled out that BRICS membership will continue
to get increased. Many aspire to join our Organization. However, at
present, we are aiming primarily to deepen our interaction," the political
scientist pointed out.
The BRICS group comprises the following five rapidly developing
countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.