Türkiye’s possible membership in BRICS has the potential to benefit the entire world, according to Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş.
"Türkiye’s presence in BRICS will indeed make a much serious contribution to the cause of global peace. This is because Türkiye is a country that simultaneously participates in many formats of international cooperation," Kurtulmuş said in an interview with Russian state agency Tass' First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman.
Türkiye is a member of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Organization of Turkic States, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, NATO and the candidate to the European Union, the politician said.
"It is also the country desirous to develop new alternative instruments of foreign policy," Kurtulmuş stressed. "This will enrich Türkiye regarding foreign policy instruments, and we hope participation of Türkiye in such organization will promote the strengthening of global peace in conditions of the multipolar global system," he noted.
"Türkiye, having the geostrategic position, being the bridge between the East and the West, having the cultural past and prospects for the future, has entered the process of transformation into a regional actor and even into the actor playing an efficient role in the global system,” Kurtulmuş argued.
He said Türkiye considers BRICS one of the important associations of the future multipolar global system.
“Türkiye’s entry into BRICS will not restrain Türkiye, but on the contrary, it will expand its foreign political capabilities," the speaker added.
Kurtulmuş was on a working trip to Moscow last week, where he addressed the Federation Council, the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, praising the strategic partnership and friendly relations between the two countries despite differing views on several matters. He also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Frustrated by a lack of progress in its accession to the European Union, Türkiye, some months ago, officially requested to join the BRICS alliance of developing markets as it looks to forge new ties beyond its traditional Western allies.
The BRICS grouping, named after Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, includes some of the biggest emerging economies. At the start of this year, it had four new members: Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt. Saudi Arabia was invited to join, though the kingdom has yet to do so.
The group’s further enlargement could be discussed during a summit in Kazan, Russia, from Oct. 22-24, which President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to attend. Malaysia, Thailand and Türkiye’s close ally Azerbaijan are among other countries looking to join.
Türkiye believes that joining the BRICS countries could help the country improve its economic cooperation with Russia and China and become a trade conduit between the EU and Asia. Sources said it wants to be a hub for gas exports out of Russia and Central Asia.
BRICS touts itself as an alternative to what its members see as Western-dominated institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. New members can potentially get access to financing through its development bank and broaden their political and trading relationships.
