A group of five leading emerging economies that has banded together to increase their global clout is again struggling to find common ground. Expectations the so-called BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - would come up with a collective plan to offer support to debt-crippled European nations were high as their top finance officials met in Washington this week.
From their conception 10 years ago as an acronym created by a Goldman Sachs economist, the BRICS have gone a long way to become a new political group that held its first summit two years ago in Russia.
Some of its members such as Brazil, inspired by forecasts that the group's combined economy will eclipse that of rich countries by 2050, envision a great political role for the group in the global stage.
In the run-up to their meeting on Thursday, Brazil floated the idea of the BRICS committing billions of dollars to buy bonds issued by the eurozone or to bolster multilateral lenders such as the International Monetary Fund.
But the meeting produced only a vague statement that they were "open to consider, if necessary, providing support through the IMF or other international financial institutions ... depending on individual country circumstances."
India's central bank governor poured cold water on Brazil's grand plans, noting the huge demand on his government's resources for poverty reduction at home.
China also distanced itself from the idea, saying the question of providing the IMF with more resources was a topic for a broader group of countries, including rich ones.
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