MINSK, 30 September (BelTA) – The CIS Ministerial Council is set to meet in Astana on 12 October, Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee – CIS Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev told reporters, BelTA has learned.
"We are busy preparing for the upcoming meetings of the supreme bodies of the CIS: the meetings of the Ministerial Council and the Council of Heads of State in Astana. It is assumed that these events will be running for three days in Astana: 12, 13, and 14 October. On 13 October, along with the CIS events, Astana will also host the the forum of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA forum)," Sergei Lebedev noted.
In light of the very busy schedule we suggested the CIS Ministerial Council should hold a meeting on 12 October. "We are in contact with our partners, the majority support this date," Sergei Lebedev said. "The CICA summit will take place on 13 October and a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State – on 14 October."
As expected, the presidents of the CIS member states will meet in person in Astana on 14 October.
Another meeting of the CIS Council of Permanent Plenipotentiary Representatives was held at the CIS Executive Committee in Minsk on 30 September. The permanent representatives discussed the activities of the CIS Council for Cultural Cooperation and the CIS Council of Heads of State News Agencies.
The permanent representatives reviewed the status of the provisions of the Agreement on a Free Trade Zone. The document was signed on 18 October 2011. Its main goal is to create conditions for the stable development of the economy for the sake of raising living standards and developing mutual trade without obstacle
