SESSION OF CIS PRIME MINISTERS KICKS OFF IN ASTANA

ARMENPRESS
May 22, 2009

ASTANA, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS: Session of CIS Prime Ministers kicked
off today in the "Chamber of Independence" of Astana, capital of
Kazakhstan in which the Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
also takes part. In the session only Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are
presented on vice Prime Minister’s level.

Within the frameworks of the one-day session the Prime Ministers have
launched discussions on 18 draft documents. The meeting with restricted
staff was followed with the extended session at the beginning of which
the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Masimov greeted the guests.

The most important issue discussed during the extended session referred
to the CIS socio-economic development strategy by 2020, in which the
objectives and issues of CIS states over the economic integration are
indicated and main cooperation directions in the economic sphere are
pointed out.

The document key objectives are to give a new impetus to the
development of CIS economies, to ensure a sustainable and balanced
economic growth, economic security as well as to increase the
livelihood level of the population.

CIS Prime Ministers will also review the plan of actions of the first
2009-2011 round of this strategy. The document also intends to expand
the cooperation in the production sphere, to promote the inter-state
projects particularly in energy, transport and agro re-procession
sphere.

In parallel to this a great attention is paid to the production of
compatible products and development of information technologies. In
the document refer is also made to the social sphere particularly to
ensuring the employment of population through establishment of new
job places, labor migration.

Special chapters of the draft refer to enhancement of cooperation
in the sphere of trade, stock market, financial sector, environment
protection and other issues.

One of the most important aspects of cooperation of CIS states is
the humanitarian sphere. During the session discussions have also
been held round the program of events of 2009-2010 cooperation of
the CIS states in the humanitarian sphere.

The CIS states also pay a special attention to fighting against crime.

During the session the CIS Prime Ministers will make decision on
making a jubilee joint medal on the 65th anniversary of victory in
the World War II. The social issues of veterans of war and people
equal to them have also been paid attention to.

During press conference Karim Masimov assessed the cooperation of
CIS states as satisfactory noting that the cooperation between the
states does not carry a fictive character.

It has been noted that on all the 18 discussed documents corresponding
decisions have been made. The next session was decided to be held in
November this year in the town of Yalta, Ukraine.