Brazil’s Lula voices support for more countries joining BRICS group

By CARLA BRIDI
Associated Press

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says he supports more countries joining the BRICS group of large developing nations, which currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The group will hold a summit in Johannesburg from Aug. 22 to 24. The meeting will have in hand a list of others desiring to join ther group. Lula told international journalists in Brazil’s capital Wednesday that he believes  “we will accept the countries’ entrance” of nations applying to join that can meet rules still to be set by BRICS. Lula’s comments came hours after a news report citing Brazilian diplomats as saying Brazil has resisted expanding the group’s membership.