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Russia hasn't offered Greece BRICS bank membership: finance minister

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has not offered Greece to become a member of the New Development Bank that is being created by the BRICS group of five major emerging nations, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Thursday. "We have not offered (membership to Greece)," Siluanov told journalists. In May, Russian media reported that Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak offered Athens to become the sixth member of the New Development Bank that is being formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Leaders from the BRICS countries are meeting at the group's annual summit next week in Russia where they are expected to officially launch the bank, along with a joint currency reserve fund. The BRICS will pool an initial $50 billion in the bank, with each country contributing an equal amount and an aim to raise the bank's capital to up to $100 billion. (Reporting by Lena Fabrichnaya; Writing by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Katya Golubkova and Alexander Winning)