Kyrgyzstan to co-preside in CIS in 2015, preside in 2016

19:16, 10 October 2014

MINSK. KAZINFORM In 2015 Kyrgyzstan will preside in the CIS together with Kazakhstan. In 2016 Kyrgyzstan will preside in the Commonwealth of Independent States on its own. The statement was made by Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambayev during the session of the CIS Heads of State Council in Minsk on 10 October.

In his words, Kazakhstan will take care of the presidency in the CIS next year. It will give a new impulse to the Commonwealth of Independent States.

"In turn, following the relevant proposal of the CIS Executive Committee we are ready to preside in the CIS. We have also agreed to host a session of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council in Bishkek in April 2015. As early as 2016 we would like to take care of the full-fledged presidency in the CIS. We have seen with our own eyes that for now nothing can replace the CIS. Those, who resisted it for some reasons, damage primarily themselves," noted the head of state, BelTA-Kabar reports.

"Speaking about items on the agenda, I would like to note that we prioritize the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War victory and not only because I am the son of a frontline soldier. It is our common victory and our duty to celebrate the event in a proper manner. Apart from that, Kyrgyzstan will declare 2015 the year of Great Patriotic War veterans. Certainly, we should prepare for it in advance and hold the event in a proper manner," said Almazbek Atambayev.

The President added that Kyrgyzstan was and will be in favor of bolstering cooperation and promoting friendly ties in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Almazbek Atambayev stated that H1 2014 was a difficult period for the CIS due to Ukrainian events.

"Belarus' decision to once again assume the CIS presidency was very important. Minsk has done a lot to support this format," added the Kyrgyzstan President.

Sessions of the CIS Heads of State Council, the Interstate Council of the Eurasian Economic Community, and the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council are scheduled to take place in Minsk on 10 October.

Participants of the session of the Interstate Council of the Eurasian Economic Community are supposed to sum up results of the work done by EurAsEC and sign the agreement on terminating EurAsEC's operation as from 1 January 2015.

During the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council the heads of state will discuss a number of topical issues relevant for the launch of the Eurasian Economic Union as from 1 January 2015 as well as Kyrgyzstan's accession to the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space.

Parties and Organizations Kyrgyzstan CIS Diplomacy Politics Belarus