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CIS adopts program on cooperation in foreign politics, military sphere and space

Moscow repeatedly highlighted that despite the appearance of new integration associations in the post-Soviet space, the CIS remains an important format of cooperation

ASHGABAT, October 10. /TASS/. Participants in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have adopted a program to galvanize partnership between the member states’ foreign ministries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after a CIS CFM meeting on Thursday.

The minister reported that the process of coordination of the program for galvanizing partnership between the CIS states in foreign politics was completed during the session. "It is a very important document which provides the guidance for all our further work in international organizations and at other venues, including regional structures like the OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]," he added.

"The draft address to global nations in light of the 75th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War was also adopted and will be studied by the state leaders tomorrow," Lavrov noted. "An agreement was reached to promote corresponding memorable events in the UN and the OSCE."

The meeting participants have also adopted documents to consolidate military cooperation and prevent arms race in space, the Russian foreign minister stated. "The draft strategy of cooperation in the sphere of information security and documents on the consolidation of military cooperation, including the development of a joint department for humanitarian demining and forming joint communication systems, were adopted," he said.

Lavrov noted that the ministers’ statement on the prevention of arms race in space was adopted upon the Russian side’s proposal, which is a new document to the CIS CFM. "There are many alarming signs that some states do have such plans in this sphere," the minister noted. "It is very important to draw attention to them and ensure work at negotiation venues in order to coordinate conditions for the non-deployment of arms in space."

The CIS CFM session and the Council of the CIS Heads of State are being held in Ashgabat, as Turkmenistan chairs the organization this year. Moscow repeatedly highlighted that despite the appearance of new integration associations in the post-Soviet space, chiefly the Eurasian Economic Union, the CIS remains an important format of cooperation.