Taking part in the summit were the leaders of all the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States with the exception of President Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan. He was represented by his Prime Minister, Artur Rasizade.
The participants in the meeting discussed various aspects of integration, the formation of a free-trade zone within the CIS, the situation on the southern borders of the Commonwealth in light of the latest events in Iraq and relevant international problems.
After the talks, the heads of state issued a number of statements: in support of the UN resolution lifting sanctions against Iraq and for the UN to play a greater role in its post-war reconstruction; on sending CIS observers to the presidential elections in Azerbaijan in October and the parliamentary elections in Georgia in November; on the continued peacekeeping operation of the CIS and extension of the mandate of the Collective Peacekeeping Force in the Abkhazia conflict zone; on signing an agreement to create the common economic space at the September CIS summit in Yalta; and on prolonging the agreement on the rehabilitation of deported people, ethnic minorities and peoples for another ten years.
Speaking on behalf of all the participants in the summit, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, who is acting Chairman of the Council of CIS Heads of State, gave a statement to the press. During the press conference that lasted four minutes, the Ukrainian leader gave strong support for the need for integration between the Commonwealth countries and the European countries on a fair and non-discriminatory basis.
The next CIS summit will take place in the city of Yalta in the Crimea, on September 18–19, 2003.