Turkey to apply for BRICS membership.

 FIRST NATO COUNTRY TO SHOW INTEREST IN BRICS

SEVERAL NEW APPLICATIONS EXPECTED

Turkey has publicly announced that they are interested in joining the BRICS economic group. Also showing interest is Malaysia, Nigeria and South Korea.

Turkey would be an important addition to the group.

Turkey has population of over 86 million. it is located as a strategic bridge between Europe, Asia and the middle east. It has access to the Black sea, the Mediterranean and Aegean sea. It actually controls access to the Black sea by its control of the narrow straits between the Mediterranean and Black sea.

Turkey has been a NATO member since 1952 and has the second largest military in NATO after the U.S. Turkey had sought membership into the EU over 20 years ago, but has been passed over by many smaller and less prosperous new members. That rejection may have to do with Turkey being a predominantly Muslim nation and not willing to adopt some of the EU social mandates. 

The BRICS group is openly advocating for members who have economic cooperation as their priority and do not look to force social, cultural or other interference into member countries.  At present, BRICS represents about 35% of the world economic activity, a larger share than the G7. If their expansion continues they will soon be the majority economic power on the globe.

Turkey has sought to be able to keep on good relations with the west and also the rest of the world, they have had some conflict with the U.S. for purchasing S400 air defense weapons from Russia. They do have substantial leverage by being a major member of NATO in a strategic part of the world. 

Turkey's geographical position will make joining BRICS a positive development for the economic prosperity of Turkey and BRICS.  Most of the BRICS group are advocating neutrality in the ongoing geopolitical conflicts. It can be expected that the EU and the U.S. will wish to lure Turkey away from joining BRICS, it will be a very delicate endeavor that seems often beyond the grasp of most western diplomats today.