ASHGABAT, November 21. /TASS/. Belarus has suggested expanding cooperation within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), uniting former Soviet republics, to enhance security along their common customs borders in an attempt to prevent smuggling and the sale of parallel, or grey, imports from outside the CIS.

The idea was put forward by Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich at a session of the CIS Heads of Government Council, currently chaired by Belarus, Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat on Friday.

Myasnikovich also urged to accelerate development of a common market for services.

“This a very complicated issue, which has not been completely resolved even within the Eurasian Economic Union,” he said. “It would be good if we could prepare a relevant draft agreement on the CIS common services market by 2016, and start ratifying and implementing it by 2017.”

The CIS Heads of Government Council meeting brought together prime ministers of Russia, Armenia, Belarus Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Ukraine was represented by an envoy to Turkmenistan, Moldova by an envoy to Belarus, while Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan sent their first prime ministers. The next meeting will take place in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana on May 29, 2015.