MINSK, 27 September (BelTA) – The CIS heads of state express hope that Ukraine will resume its full participation in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), CIS Executive Secretary, Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee Sergei Lebedev told media ahead of the meeting of the CIS Plenipotentiaries Council in Minsk on 27 September, BelTA has learned.
According to Sergei Lebedev, Ukraine remains in the CIS, and the country presented at the CIS summit in Bishkek on 16 September at the level of the Ambassador. “The heads of state expressed regret in Bishkek that Ukraine weakened its participation in integration activity. They wished the Ukrainian people to find peace and stability as quickly as possible and also expressed hope that Ukraine will resume its full participation in the CIS,” Sergei Lebedev said as he spoke about the results of the CIS summit in the Kyrgyz capital.
He also noted that the status of the 2017 CIS Capital of Culture went to Ganja, Azerbaijan. In his words, a decision was taken to declare 2017 the Year of Family and 2018 the Year of Culture, and to hand the CIS Presidency over to Russia in 2017.
