MINSK, 6 August (BelTA) - The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) plans to set up an advisory council of heads of electoral bodies. The draft regulation on the council was considered at the meeting of the CIS expert group, BelTA learned from the press service of the CIS Executive Committee.
Taking part in the video conference were representatives of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the Secretariat of the IPA CIS Council and the CIS Executive Committee.
The participants of the meeting considered the comments and suggestions to the document and finalized the text of the draft regulation.
The experts also supported Russia's proposal that the advisory council should be formed by an international treaty and agreed on the corresponding draft agreement. It was decided that after the completion of the interstate coordination in accordance with the established procedure the document would submitted for consideration by the CIS Heads of State Council.
The press service noted that the initiative to set up an advisory council of the heads of electoral bodies of the CIS countries belongs to Uzbekistan.
The council will promote cooperation between the election bodies of the CIS countries to help improve the electoral process in the states, taking into account their accumulated experience in elections and referendums in accordance with the legislation and international obligations. Heads of central election bodies of CIS countries will be among its members.
The council will meet at least once a year.
Photos courtesy of the CIS Executive Committee
