A senior official on Tuesday confirmed a report that Turkey wants to join the BRICS bloc of developing economies but stopped short of declaring that the NATO country had formally applied for membership.

The Bloomberg news agency reported Monday that Turkey had officially applied to join BRICS several months ago. Asked about the report, Omer Celik, spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party, said Erdogan has stated “several times” that Turkey aspires to become a member.

“Our request on this issue is clear. This process is ongoing. But there is no concrete development regarding this,” Celik told reporters. “Our president has clearly stated that Turkey wants to take part in all important platforms, including BRICS.”