President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, friends,
During the narrow-format meeting, that has just concluded, we had an open in-depth discussion of the topical issues related to cooperation within the Commonwealth of Independent States, as well as the regional and international agenda. Important decisions, which would define the development of the CIS both next year and in the future, were agreed.
The Commonwealth of Independent States is developing. All the leaders gathered here support further deepening of the Commonwealth. We can see that our joint efforts are consistently promoting the CIS’s authority as a regional integration association.
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The Commonwealth members act solely on the principles of mutual understanding, equality and neighbourliness, and successfully solve key tasks to improve our citizens’ well-being and quality of life.
It is largely through this that we have managed to preserve, and in some areas expand, the economic, social, cultural and humanitarian ties that have been developed over many years of living as part of a single state.
As it has been noted numerous times today, the entire span of the CIS shows positive dynamic in macroeconomic and, indeed, economic terms. The GDP of CIS members is growing at a good pace, as trade and investment ties between them are becoming stronger.
For instance, trade between Russia and other CIS states in just seven months of this year grew by an impressive 7.7 percent, totaling $63.2 billion, in spite of the volatility displayed by the global markets.
Companies from CIS countries carry out mutually beneficial projects in energy, industry, and infrastructure, jointly implement import substitution programmes, as a new, national currency-based financial system impervious to external factors is being established.
Obviously, cooperation between the CIS countries is not limited to the economy. Cooperation on the cultural track, which is based on the sinvere mutual interest of our countries’ peoples in each other’s culture and traditions, is making good headway.
We are all aware of the importance of preserving the memory of our common history and do a great deal for that. Next year will mark the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. In this regard, a joint Appeal to the Commonwealth nations and the world community will be adopted following the results of our meeting. Alexander Lukashenko will speak in detail on this issue.
We will also endorse a decision to establish the honorary title of the City of Labour Glory in the CIS countries, which will be awarded for collective contribution for continuous production of military and civilian products during the Great Patriotic War.
Speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Valentina Matviyenko will also address our meeting. She will talk about the work of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly and what this association is doing to strengthen integration cooperation, harmonise legislation, and improve the effectiveness of legal regulation in the member states.
Ensuring security and law enforcement is the most important area of the Commonwealth’s work. Close cooperation between competent authorities and specialised agencvies plays a key role there.
In this regard, I would like to note the programme of cooperation on deradicalisation, which we are to adopt today. It was developed at the initiative of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It is aimed at preventing the legalisation of radical and extremist movements and at building interfaith dialogue.
In the current difficult global situation, it is crucial that all CIS states advocate the formation of a fair world order based on universally recognised principles of international law with the pivotal role of the UN. We constantly coordinate positions on key global and regional issues, and our approaches are traditionally close or completely coincide.
The CIS chairmanship will pass from Russia to our Tajik friends on January 1, 2025. Of course, we would like to wish President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and all our colleagues in Tajikistan all the best. We will provide all the necessary assistance wherever we can.
Let me give the floor to President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. Please.
To be continued.