Türkiye was offered partner country status by the BRICS group of nations, Trade Minister Omer Bolat said, as Ankara continues what it calls its efforts to balance its Eastern and Western ties, Paralel.Az reports citing TASS.

"As for Turkey's status regarding (BRICS) membership, they offered Turkey the status of partner membership," Bolat said in an interview with private broadcaster TVNet on Wednesday.

"This (status) is the transition process in the organisational structure of BRICS," he said.