HAVANA, October 7. /TASS/. Cuba has already submitted an official application to obtain partnership status in the BRICS countries, Russian Ambassador to Havana Viktor Coronelli told a TASS correspondent.

“Cuba has shown interest in joining the BRICS association,” the diplomat noted. “Moreover, they have already submitted an official application to the Russian side for partner status, as Russia is the chairman of BRICS this year. The Cubans are interested and the corresponding application has been formalized,” Coronelli emphasized.

He also confirmed that Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has received an invitation to participate in the BRICS Plus/Outreach format meeting to be held on the sidelines of the summit. “The Cuban president has an invitation, we expect him to visit Kazan on October 22 and 24,” Coronelli said.

The Russian Ambassador to Havana recalled that Cuban representatives participated in an expanded form this year in a number of events held by the BRICS. “In our opinion, they are interested in almost all activities of the BRICS,” he emphasized. “And we must wait for the decision on granting partnership status to see what they will participate in more or less actively,” the diplomat concluded.