The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has taken part in a narrow format meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of State in Sochi, the Akorda press service reports.
The meeting was attended by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, President Igor Dodon of Moldova, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Sapar Isakov of Kyrgyzstan, as well as Chairman of the Executive Committee and Executive Secretary of CIS Sergey Lebedev.
In his speech, the President of Kazakhstan highlighted the vital role of the CIS in developing the trade and economic ties between the member states of the Commonwealth.
The Head of State noted a number of important areas for CIS modernization and improvement.
Nursultan Nazarbayev proposed to revise the Concept of further development of the CIS and map out a new action plan.
Besides, the President of Kazakhstan dwelled on the issue of deepening the trade and economic relations between the Commonwealth member states.
"Free trade in services on the CIS territory will open new opportunities for our businessmen and take our countries' trade and economic cooperation to a new level. I suggest the Council of Heads of Government and the Executive Committee stepping up the work on the draft Agreement on Free Trade in Services and adopt it in the near future," the Head of State said.
At the end, Nursultan Nazarbayev noted the effectiveness of the Russian Federation's presidency in the Commonwealth of Independent States and wished success to the Republic of Tajikistan in presiding it next year.
The summit agenda includes further deepening of mutually beneficial partnership within the CIS and adaptation to the modern reality.
The heads of the CIS states will adopt the Statement to support the institution of the family and traditional family values.
It is expected that the CIS Heads of State will make a decision on further implementation of "The Commonwealth Cultural Capitals" interstate program in a number of cities such as Goris (Armenia), Brest (Belarus), and Shymkent (Kazakhstan), and will determine the themes of the CIS cities for the coming period.
The Heads of State will also discuss the issues of strengthening the cooperation in security, defense, anti-corruption, exploration and peaceful uses of outer space, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, and will consider the issue of the CIS presidency in 2018.
At the same time, the Presidents will pay attention to strengthening cooperation in the areas of security, defense, countering corruption, research and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, and will consider the issue of the CIS presidency in 2018.
The heads of state are also expected to sign a number of decisions aimed at delineation of powers between the supreme bodies of the CIS. After adopting these documents, the Council of the CIS Heads of State will be able to focus on the major issues of the Commonwealth development strategy by delegating the respective powers to the Councils of Heads of Government, Foreign Ministers, Defense Ministers, Border Troops Commanders, and the Economic Council.
It is noteworthy that President Nazarbayev announced a number of initiatives aimed at transforming the CIS during the CIS Summit in Burabai in 2015. At the next meeting of the heads of CIS countries, held in Bishkek in September 2016, the decision was made for adapting the integration association to the present-day realia.
Reported by Kazinform.
