EURASEC INFORMAL SUMMIT STARTS IN SOCHI WITH WORKING DINNER

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Aug. 15, 2006

SOCHI, August 15 (Itar-Tass) — An informal summit of the Eurasian
Economic Community (EurAsEC) started in Sochi on Tuesday with a
working dinner.

The presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and
Belarus have convened at the residence of President Vladimir Putin.

The president of Armenia, which is an observer at the EurAsEC, was
also invited to attend the meeting.

Putin, who held negotiations with Armenian President Robert Kocharian
and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev prior to the meeting,
greeted other chiefs of state on the residence staircase.

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev arrived first, followed by Tajik
President Emomali Rakhmonov.

None of them was wearing a tie, as the meeting was supposed to be
informal. Yet Putin was wearing a tie, since he had just finalized the
negotiations. Rakhmonov asked whether he had understood the meeting
format correctly.

Uzbek President Islam Karimov arrived next. He shook hands with Putin
and spoke to him for several minutes.

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko was the last to arrive. He
was wearing a tie in contrast to his colleagues. Lukashenko shook
hands and embraced Putin.

Then the EurAsEC leaders went inside the residence.

The chiefs of state will have negotiations on Wednesday.