VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
The Commonwealth of Independent States (or the CIS) was established on December 8, 1991, by heads of the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine, who signed the CIS Foundation Agreement. In Almaty a fortnight later -- on December 21, 1991 -- heads of eleven sovereign states (except for the Baltic states and Georgia; the latter joined the CIS in 1993) signed a Protocol to the CIS Foundation Agreement to indicate that the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Ukraine had established the Commonwealth of Independent States in conformity with the principle of equality.
On January 22, 1993, the Charter of the CIS was adopted at the CIS summit in Minsk. Ukraine and Turkmenistan did not affix their signatures to the CIS Charter. Therefore, these states are not de jure CIS member states; rather, they may be regarded as CIS founder states and CIS participating states. At the CIS summit held in Kazan on August 26, 2005, Turkmenistan made a statement that it would join the CIS in the capacity of "an associate member".
Pursuant to the CIS Charter, the goals of the CIS include:
- political, economic, ecological, humanitarian, cultural, and other cooperation,
- comprehensive and sustainable economic and social development of CIS member states within the framework of the common economic space; intergovernmental cooperation and integration;
- promotion of rights and basic freedoms in conformity with the generally accepted principles and norms of international law, and OSCE documents;
- cooperation among CIS member states in maintaining world peace and security; implementation of effective measures for reduction of arms and military expenditures; liquidation of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction; global and total disarmament;
- facilitation of free intercourse, contacts and movement of citizens of member states within the CIS;
- mutual legal assistance and cooperation in other scopes of legal relations;
- peaceful resolution of disputes and conflicts arising among CIS member states.
At present, the CIS is an instrument of cooperation between independent states that have equal rights; it is also a regional interstate organisation recognized by the international community. The CIS is noteworthy for interaction in almost every matter of intergovernmental intercourse, flexible mechanisms and methods of collective cooperation. Its flexible mechanism of interstate and intergovernmental interaction ensures responsiveness to any degree of readiness of each member state to take part in integration processes to that extent and in those areas that are in keeping with their national interests.
Interaction among CIS member states is regulated by CIS authorities, including the Council of Heads of State, the Council of Heads of Government, the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Economic Council, the Council of Defence Ministers, the Council of Commanders of Frontier Troops, the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, and the Economic Court.
The Council of Heads of State is the supreme authority of the CIS. Any issue within the scope of common interests of CIS member states is discussed and resolved by the heads of CIS member states.
At present, the Council of Heads of State is chaired by the Kyrgyz Republic, represented by its President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. According to the Resolution issued by the Council of Heads of State on October 10, 2008, as of 2009, the Council of Heads of State will be chaired by the Republic of Moldova, and co-chaired by the Russian Federation and the Kyrgyz Republic.
The Council of Heads of Government coordinates cooperation of executive authorities in the economic, social and other spheres of common interest. In the course of its sessions, the most important issues of economic, humanitarian, social, and military cooperation among CIS member states are discussed, and drafts of the most important documents are agreed and delegated to the Council of Heads of State for consideration.
Since May 2008, the Council of Heads of Government has been chaired by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus.
The Council of Foreign Ministers is the principal executive authority that promotes cooperation among CIS member states in foreign policy matters of mutual concern. It operates between sessions of the Council of Heads of State and the Council of Heads of Government.
The Economic Council is responsible for the implementation of (i) agreements made by CIS member states, (ii) resolutions issued by the Council of Heads of State and by the Council of Heads of Government concerning formation and operation of the free trade zone, as well as other issues of social and economic cooperation. The Economic Council is composed of deputy heads of government of CIS member states.
The Permanent Economic Commission is affiliated with the Economic Council. This Commission is composed of authorised representatives from CIS member states. This Commission is responsible for (i) thorough revision and consideration of draft documents issued by the CIS Executive Committee and its specialised authorities, and (ii) reconciliation of positions of CIS member states.
The Council of Defence Ministers is a constituent authority of the Council of Heads of State. It is responsible for military policy matters and the military development of CIS member states. The Council of Defence Ministers is composed of Defence Ministers of CIS member states (excluding Georgia, Moldova, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine).
The Council of Frontier Troops Commanders is a constituent authority of the Council of Heads of State; it is responsible for coordination of CIS borderline control and assurance of stability along the borders. The Council of Frontier Troops Commanders is composed of commanders-in-chief of frontier troops (or other plenipotentiaries) of CIS member states and Chairman of the Coordination Service of the Council of Frontier Troops Commanders.
The Inter-Parliamentary Assembly holds inter-parliamentary consultations, discusses matters of cooperation between CIS member states, and drafts joint proposals to be implemented by national parliaments. It has eight members - the states that have signed and ratified the Convention on Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of CIS Member states: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia and Tajikistan. Georgia signed this Convention, but failed to ratify it. Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan never signed this Convention.
The mission of the Economic Court is to ensure the performance of responsibilities of CIS member states under economic treaties and agreements through resolution of disputes arising within economic exchange. The Court is composed of an equal number of arbiters delegated by each member state - the signatory of the CIS Economic Court Agreement (initially, the Court had eight arbiters, now it has five arbiters, delegated by Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia and Tajikistan).
More than 80 authorities, responsible for cooperation in various sectors, were organised. Their task is to coordinate joint efforts in major industries as well as in social security, humanitarian cooperation, prevention of crimes and terrorism, etc.
The CIS Executive Committee is the only permanent executive, administrative, and coordination authority of the CIS. The Executive Committee is headquartered in Minsk and has a branch in Moscow.
Sergei Lebedev has served as Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee since October 2007.
Representatives of the CIS Executive Committee take part in sessions and forums of the UN, EU, OSCE, UNECE, ESCAP, ACEAN, UNESCO, FAO, OAS, and UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees and other international organisations.
Ten states delegated their permanent representatives to the CIS authorities. In the end of 2002, the permanent representative from Georgia suspended his mission in Minsk due to financial reasons. Azerbaijan has no permanent mission in Minsk.
The Commission on Economy and Finance, affiliated with the CIS Economic Council (it shares its headquarters with the CIS Executive Committee), is composed of authorised representatives from each CIS member state, excluding Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The UN General Assembly awarded the CIS the status of observer in March 1994. The same status was awarded to the CIS by UNCTAD on April 19, 1994.
At present, the Commonwealth is undergoing reorganisation initiated at the Kazan summit held on August 26, 2005. The summit attendees resolved that a package of steps was to be taken to improve the efficiency of CIS authorities. Pursuant to resolutions of the Kazan summit and the resolution issued by the Council of Foreign Ministers on April 21, 2006, following the proposal of the Russian Federation, a High Level Group in charge of CIS efficiency improvement was established (Group of Wise Men).
CIS reorganisation was the core issue of the informal summit held in Moscow on July 21 and 22, 2006, and of the regular summit held in Minsk on November 28, 2006. A brief summary of the CIS efficiency improvement report was considered in Minsk. The report was drafted by the High Level Group on the basis of proposals made by CIS member states and submitted by the Head of the High Level Group to heads of CIS member states.
An Intergovernmental Workgroup was organised on the instruction of the Council of Heads of State. The workgroup was composed of deputy heads of ministries of foreign affairs and representatives from the Executive Committee. The workgroup drafted the CIS development concept and its implementation plan on the basis of the High Level Group report and proposals from member states.
At the CIS summit held in Dushanbe on October 5, 2007, the CIS development concept and its implementation plan were approved by all CIS member states, except for Georgia and Turkmenistan. Their approval marked a new vector of evolution that was supported by practical arrangements.
Key issues requiring joint and coordinated efforts of CIS member states were identified at informal meetings of heads of CIS member states held in Moscow on February 22, 2008, and in St Petersburg on June 6, 2008. The principal scope of cooperation included cooperation in the power sector, particularly, in power saving technologies, transportation, food security, free trade zone formation, development of nanotechnologies, youth policy, migration, and humanitarian issues.
The Federal Agency in charge of CIS affairs, expatriates, and international humanitarian cooperation was organised under RF Presidential Decree №1315 of September 6, 2008. This Federal Agency will play an important role in the implementation of state policy pursuant to the above Concept on CIS territory.
A note was lodged with the CIS Executive Committee by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, requesting withdrawal from the CIS on August 18, 2008. At the session of the Council of CIS Foreign Ministers, held in Bishkek on October 9, 2008, a technical resolution concerning Georgia's membership was issued at the suggestion of the Kyrgyz Republic in the capacity of the CIS Chairman.
CIS member states are proactively engaged in the fulfillment of the Concept implementation plan. Provisions on national coordinators of member states and provisions on CIS chairmanship were accepted at the session of the Council of Heads of State in Bishkek on October 10, 2008, to improve the efficiency of the CIS. The heads of CIS member states also accepted the core ideas of the draft strategy of CIS economic development through 2020, and authorised the Council of Heads of Government to issue their final resolution in this respect at the session to be held in Chisinau on November 14, 2008. The principal scope of cooperation among CIS member states was identified for 2009. The power sector was identified as the key point of interaction among CIS member states. 2009 will be declared as the Year of Youth in the CIS, and 2010, as the Year of Science and Innovations.
