TULA, September 29. /TASS/. Partnership and mutual benefit are the principles underpinning relations among the member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which are jointly countering Western sanctions, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev said.

"The CIS countries share and support the principles of global security, are jointly countering the pressure of sanctions, and deem it appropriate to follow the principles of dialogue, partnership and mutual benefit, [as well as] expand comprehensive cooperation both with traditional partners and with all those who support the formation of independent centers of power in a multipolar world," Lebedev said at a meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CIS member states.

According to him, "this year, under the aegis of the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan, the defense officials of the CIS member states have been continuously improving cooperation in the priority areas." "Given the fact that the range of threats to the military security of the CIS member states remains quite wide, cooperation in the military sphere is undoubtedly a reliable stabilizing factor," the CIS chief said.

He pointed out that, "the activities of the CIS Council of Defense Ministers and its coordinating committees have acquired special significance. Undoubtedly, the Council of Defense Ministers of the CIS member states has a strong collective potential to develop military cooperation and increase its effectiveness in order to ensure peace and stability in the CIS."

At the same time, according to Lebedev, "recently, working meetings and joint sessions of the CIS Council of Defense Ministers, the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization] and the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organization] are also gaining importance." "Issues on the global and regional agenda, measures to ensure the military security of the [CIS member] states, as well as further cooperation in the military sphere are being widely discussed," the CIS chief said.