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Borders of independent states. Which countries are included in the CIS: educational program for those who don’t know

And Belarus. Currently, the CIS includes the following countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Ukraine.

The goals of this organization are: coordination of the activities of the former republics of the USSR in political, economic, cultural, military and other fields.

In January 1993, the CIS Charter was adopted, providing for the comprehensive and balanced development of the CIS member countries, the formation of a common economic space based on market relations, freedom of movement of goods, services, capital and labor and the progressive reduction and abolition customs duties, taxes and fees.

With the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, more than 30 coordinating bodies were formed, including:

Statutory bodies of the CIS:

  • Council of Heads of State;
  • Council of Heads of Government;
  • Council of Foreign Ministers;
  • Council of Defense Ministers;
  • Council of Commanders of Border Troops;
  • Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS;
  • Economic court.

Executive bodies of the CIS:

  • Economic Council CIS;
  • Council of Permanents authorized representatives member states of the Commonwealth under the statutory and other bodies of the Commonwealth;
  • Executive Committee of the CIS (located in Belarus, Minsk).

CIS industry cooperation bodies. The Charter provides for the creation of industry cooperation bodies of the Commonwealth, which are designed to help improve multilateral business interaction between states, harmonize the principles and rules of cooperation between industries, and promote the practical implementation of agreements in specific areas of the economy, science, in the humanitarian sphere, and in military development.

They usually include heads of relevant bodies executive power member states of the Commonwealth.

One of the first, in December 1991, was the creation of the Commonwealth Statistical Committee, which, in accordance with the decision of the Council of Heads of Government of May 26, 1995, was transformed into the Interstate Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth. The Committee develops and implements a unified statistical policy, generates consolidated statistical data within the CIS member countries.

Interstate and intergovernmental councils operate in the fields of economics, science, ecology, transport and coordinate the interaction of sectoral structures of the executive branch in the following areas:

  • industry and construction;
  • Agriculture;
  • transport and communications;
  • scientific and technical progress;
  • energy;
  • trade, finance and customs policy;
  • environmental Safety;
  • security and crime control.

In 1995, Russia entered the Customs Union with Belarus, which was then joined by Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. And in 2000, this union was actually transformed into the Euro-Asian Economic Community, which aims to introduce a full free trade regime, the formation of a single customs tariff, a common energy market, etc. For the member states of this community, Russia has retained the previous visa-free regime, although in relations with some CIS countries (Georgia, Turkmenistan) it was canceled.

Belarus and Russia signed an agreement on the creation of the Union (in 1999), which will contribute to the closest integration of the countries, and subsequently to the creation of a single currency and the free movement of people, the organization of joint production. Already existing trade relations between Russia and Belarus account for 40% of their total trade turnover with the CIS countries.

Generally international trade Russia's trade with the CIS countries amounted to $51.5 billion in 2005, which is significantly inferior to the scale of Russia's trade relations with non-CIS countries, especially Europe.

Russia and the CIS countries are united by historical and cultural ties that have developed on the basis of the interpenetration of cultures, with the special significance of Russian culture and language.

The military security of the CIS countries determines the need for their military cooperation. In this case, a special role belongs to the military potential of Russia, the only nuclear power in the CIS. Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, which possessed nuclear weapons, transferred them to Russia. Russia also signed a Treaty of Friendship with Ukraine and Russia, on whose territory there are Russian military bases (including the base of the Russian Black Sea Navy), as well as an agreement with on military-technical cooperation.

In 2002, the Treaty Organization was created collective security(CSTO) is an international military-political organization on the territory of the CIS, which includes the states: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and as observers - Moldova, Ukraine.

Many geopolitical problems have arisen in Russia’s relations with neighboring countries, i.e. with other CIS countries. On the western border, this applies to a lesser extent to Belarus, but to a much greater extent to Ukraine and (and Sevastopol, the Black Sea Fleet, the status of Transnistria, tariffs for pumping Russian oil And natural gas to Foreign Europe). On the southern border there has been some cooling of relations with and, in particular, with (disagreements on the issue of transportation routes for Caspian oil, on the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, on Russian military bases, etc.) In the southeast, one cannot help but worry about the growing “geopolitical vacuum” in Russia’s relations with Kazakhstan and the states of Central Asia.

The content of the article

COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS), community of former republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Formed in accordance with the agreement signed on December 8, 1991 in Viskuli (the seat of the government of Belarus) by the leaders of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, as well as with the protocol to the said agreement, which was signed on December 21, 1991 in Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan) by the leaders of 11 -ty republics of the former USSR: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyzstan), Moldova (Moldova), Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. In December 1993, Georgia joined the CIS. Of the former republics of the USSR, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were not included in the CIS. In August 2005, Turkmenistan ceased permanent membership and is currently an associate member of the CIS.

According to the CIS Charter (approved by the heads of member states in January 1993), the Commonwealth is not a state and does not have supranational powers. It is based on the principles sovereign equality all its members, each of whom is an independent and equal subject of international law.

Commonwealth goals:

– implementation of cooperation between member states in political, economic, legal, cultural, environmental, humanitarian and other fields, cooperation in ensuring international peace and security, as well as achieving disarmament;

– creation of a common economic space, ensuring interstate cooperation and integration in the interests of comprehensive and balanced economic and social development of the member states;

– mutual assistance in order to create peaceful living conditions for peoples, ensuring collective security;

– peaceful resolution disputes and conflicts between participating countries;

– assistance to citizens of member states in free communication, contacts and movement throughout the territory of countries that are members of the Commonwealth.

Relations between the CIS member states are based on the principles of respect for the sovereignty, self-determination and territorial integrity of countries and non-interference in their foreign policy and internal affairs, the inviolability of existing borders, the non-use of force and the resolution of disputes by peaceful means, as well as the supremacy of international law.

The total territory of the states that are part of the CIS (excluding the territory of Turkmenistan) is 21.6 million square meters. km., population – St. 275 million people (2006). The headquarters of the Commonwealth is located in Minsk (Belarus). In the CIS countries approx. 10% of the world's industrial potential and almost 25% of the world's proven reserves natural resources.

The working language of the CIS is Russian. The Commonwealth has its own official symbols and flag.

History of the formation of the CIS.

The initial agreement on the creation of the CIS was signed in Belovezhskaya Pushcha on December 8, 1991 by the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus Stanislav Shushkevich, Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk. They announced the termination of negotiations organized by the President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, to conclude a new union treaty, which was intended to reform the USSR. Gorbachev called the Belovezhskaya Agreement unconstitutional and stated that only the Congress of People's Deputies had the right to dissolve the Soviet Union. However, on December 10, the decision to create the CIS was ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Supreme Council of Belarus, and on December 12 by the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation. The 1922 treaty on the creation of the USSR was declared terminated. On December 13, after two days of negotiations in Ashgabat (the capital of Turkmenistan), the heads of state of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan announced their desire to join the newly created Commonwealth, and similar intentions were expressed by Azerbaijan and Armenia. On December 17, Gorbachev and Yeltsin reached an agreement on the dissolution of the USSR. On December 21, 1991, a meeting of the leaders of 11 former USSR republics took place in Alma-Ata; Georgia sent its observers to it. The participants of the meeting finally confirmed the cessation of the existence of the USSR. They adopted the Alma-Ata Declaration, confirming the mutual recognition of sovereignty and the inviolability of borders, as well as the intention to implement full cooperation and fulfill the international obligations of the former USSR. The Commonwealth was declared open both to the former republics of the Soviet Union and to other states that agreed with its principles and goals. The permanent place of the USSR in the UN Security Council was recognized for Russia.

The meeting participants agreed to create coordinating bodies (Councils of Heads of State and Heads of Government), maintain overall command of military-strategic forces and overall control over nuclear weapons. The four republics that had nuclear weapons on their territory (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine) agreed to comply with and ratify the START Treaty concluded by the USSR (the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, signed between the USSR and the USA in Moscow on July 31, 1991); Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine agreed to deliver their tactical nuclear weapons to Russia for destruction under joint control.

Until December 26, 1991, the Alma-Ata Agreements were ratified by the parliaments of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Georgia did not join the Commonwealth.

The first meeting of the heads of 11 CIS states took place on December 30, 1991 in Minsk. During it, an agreement was signed recognizing the need for a Unified Command of Strategic Nuclear Forces and joint control over weapons of mass destruction that were in service with the former USSR. With regard to conventional weapons, the CIS states recognized the principle of creating national armies in the former Soviet republics, subordinate to the CIS high command. The issue of creating the CIS armed forces was also discussed at the second meeting of heads of state, which took place on January 16, 1992 in Moscow. At the third meeting (Minsk, February 14, 1992), the leaders of 8 member states agreed in principle to maintain a unified command of the armed forces for two years. However, disagreements remained on this issue between the countries of the Community. At the fourth summit, held in Kyiv on March 20, 1992, an agreement was reached on the division of powers in military matters. In accordance with them, the CIS armed forces were to include strategic forces and joint forces ( peacekeeping forces modeled after the UN Blue Helmets). This decision was recognized only by Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In May 1992, at the fifth meeting in Tashkent, the heads of state of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan signed a collective security pact (mutual military assistance) and agreed in principle on joint border control. In July of the same year, a decision was made to send peacekeeping forces to “hot spots” in the CIS; Azerbaijan did not agree with this decision.

Acute disputes between Russia and Ukraine over the problems of dividing the Black Sea Fleet of the former USSR and the overall command of strategic weapons were resolved after the corresponding agreements were reached between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine (June 1992).

Disagreements between the CIS states also existed on a number of other issues. In March 1992, the chairmen of the parliaments of the member states discussed the creation of a parliamentary assembly of the Commonwealth, whose tasks were to include the discussion and adoption of laws of an inter-republican nature. The delegations of Azerbaijan, Moldova, Ukraine and Turkmenistan did not sign an agreement on this issue. Differences in views on economic cooperation remained, incl. regarding the preservation of the ruble zone. At the sixth summit (Moscow, August 1992), Ukrainian President Kravchuk refused to join the signed agreements on the creation of a joint economic court and a common missile defense system. An agreement was concluded on the withdrawal of a number of former republics from the ruble zone. Countries that expressed a desire to maintain the ruble as a currency (Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Uzbekistan) agreed to pursue a common monetary policy under the leadership of the Russian Central Bank. It was also decided to send CIS peacekeeping forces to conflict zones on the territory of the former Soviet Union. In October 1992, at the seventh meeting of state leaders, held in Bishkek, it was decided to send CIS peacekeeping forces to Tajikistan, where the Civil War. It was not possible to agree on the formation of a central Economic Cooperation Council; it was only decided to create an advisory committee on economic issues. The heads of state of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Uzbekistan signed an agreement on maintaining the ruble as a currency and the principle of creating a common Central Bank. The parliament of Azerbaijan, where the opposition Popular Front came to power, refused to ratify the treaty establishing the CIS, and the delegation of this country participated in the meeting as an observer.

The adoption of the CIS Charter during the eighth summit (Minsk, January 22, 1993) was again accompanied by controversy. The document was supported by the leaders of 7 states (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus); the heads of Moldova, Ukraine and Turkmenistan rejected it, considering the powers assigned to the coordination bodies of the Commonwealth to be excessive. In March 1993, the defense ministers of 6 countries reached an agreement to strengthen military cooperation, however, a plan to create a common armed forces was not agreed upon (Russia considered it too expensive). In June 1993, a decision was made to abolish the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth armed forces and create a Joint Staff to coordinate cooperation in the military field.

At the 9th summit meeting (Moscow, May 1993), the heads of 9 states approved the proposal of the presidents of Kazakhstan and Russia to create an economic union modeled on the European Union in the future. The President of Turkmenistan S.A. Niyazov opposed this, insisting on cooperation on the basis of bilateral agreements. In August of the same year, the presidents of Russia (B.N. Yeltsin), Kazakhstan (N.A. Nazarbayev) and Uzbekistan (I.A. Karimov) signed an agreement in Moscow, which provided for the formation of an economic and monetary union, open to the accession of others states It was intended to maintain the ruble as a common currency; The idea of ​​​​creating a ruble zone was supported by Armenia. However, this agreement was not implemented; in November, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Armenia introduced their own currencies.

By the end of 1993, two unofficial groups of states were formed within the CIS. One of them (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) advocated greater coordination and expanded cooperation in the field foreign policy, defense, monetary policy, economics and transport). The other (Turkmenistan and Ukraine) showed interest in limited cooperation, focusing on protecting their national interests. The situation was aggravated by acute conflicts in a number of CIS countries (the civil war in Tajikistan, the conflict in Transnistria and the Armenian-Azerbaijani war). In addition, the Central Asian states were interested, first of all, in closer cooperation with each other and in developing relations with neighboring Muslim countries - Iran, Pakistan and Turkey. With Heydar Aliyev coming to power in Azerbaijan in 1993, this country returned to the CIS. The head of state of Georgia, E.A. Shevardnadze, began to pursue a policy of rapprochement with the Commonwealth, and in December of the same year, Georgia became its member. At the next meeting of heads of state and government (Moscow, September 1993), the prime ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan signed an agreement on the creation of an economic union, which Georgia also joined. Turkmenistan became an associated member of the union in December 1993, and Ukraine - in April 1994. The members of the union spoke in favor of the formation of a common economic space based on the free movement of goods, services, labor and capital, on the development of an agreed monetary, tax, price, customs and foreign economic policy, on the convergence of methods for regulating economic activity and creating favorable conditions for the development of direct production relations. In April 1994, Moldova ratified the CIS Treaty, thus officially becoming its full member. At the same time, she stated that she still did not intend to take part in the coordination of foreign policy and migration policy (these reservations were lifted by Moldova in October 2002). In April 1994, at the next summit meeting in Moscow, a number of economic agreements were signed and the mandate of the CIS peacekeeping forces in Tajikistan was extended, and in October of the same year, a convention was adopted on the protection of the rights of ethnic minorities.

The institutions of the Commonwealth gradually took shape. The duties of the CIS executive secretary were assigned in 1993 to Ivan Korochenya. At the summit meeting in Ashgabat (December 1993), the post of chairman of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was established, with Russian President Yeltsin becoming the first chairman. In February 1994, Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Vladimir Shumeiko took the post of Chairman of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly. In October 1994, at a meeting of heads of state, government, ministers of foreign affairs and defense, an interstate commission on economic issues was formed with headquarters in Moscow. In February 1995, the presidents of the CIS countries approved a memorandum on maintaining peace and stability in Almaty; Commonwealth states pledged to refrain from exerting political, economic or other pressure on each other. In May 1995, the heads of the CIS states signed an agreement in Minsk on the creation of an interstate committee on monetary and financial issues, designed to coordinate the financial and credit policies of the CIS.

The greatest difficulties arose in coordinating issues military policy Commonwealth. Participants in the summit meeting held in May 1995 extended the mandate of the CIS peacekeeping forces in Tajikistan and Abkhazia. However, a number of states (Azerbaijan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine) refused to join the agreement on joint protection of external borders and the general convention on human rights.

Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia agreed to create a customs union, however, at the next meeting of heads of state and government in Minsk (January 1996), it was not possible to achieve its expansion (in March of the same year, only Kyrgyzstan joined it). The leaders of the CIS countries extended the mandate of the peacekeeping forces in Tajikistan and reached an agreement on a joint air defense system. Ukraine refused to participate in its creation. In May 1996, at a meeting in Moscow, the heads of government approved an integration plan for 1996–1997 and a joint program to combat economic and organized crime. In March 1997, at a meeting of the presidents of 12 CIS countries, the formation of a commission to resolve regional conflicts was agreed upon.

Speaking at the CIS summit in October 1997 in Chisinau, Russian President Yeltsin said that the Commonwealth was working ineffectively, and many agreements were not being implemented (for example, agreements on the creation of the Central Bank, on the economic community of the Central Asian republics, on the economic union, on the common economic space, etc.). He demanded a reorganization of the CIS. At the next meeting of state leaders in April 1998 in Moscow, a new executive secretary of the Commonwealth was appointed - Boris Berezovsky (representative of Russia). But already in March 1999 he was removed “for activities incompatible with his position.” In April 1999, the heads of the CIS countries approved Yuri Yarov (RF) as the executive secretary of the CIS.

Disagreements in the Commonwealth continued into the end. 1990s At the April 1999 meeting of the presidents, it was not possible to agree on the extension of the collective security treaty signed in May 1992 (Moldova, Turkmenistan and Ukraine did not join it). The treaty expired on April 20, 1999. Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed a protocol renewing the treaty for the next five years. Azerbaijan, Georgia and Uzbekistan refused to extend it.

The CIS states, which were supporters of closer rapprochement, continued to strive for further interaction. On March 29, 1996, the presidents of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement in Moscow on deepening integration in the economic and humanitarian fields. It was aimed at creating a closer association (“Community of Integrated States”), expanding cooperation in economics, science, culture and social sphere while maintaining the sovereignty of the parties. It was envisaged to create mechanisms for coordinating foreign policy, a common security system and border security, as well as the creation of an interstate council (headed by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko) and a parity interparliamentary committee. On April 2, 1996, the presidents of Belarus and Russia signed an agreement in Moscow on the creation of the Commonwealth of Sovereign Republics. According to this document, both states pledged to closely cooperate in the field of foreign policy, economics and military issues, and it was planned to create joint bodies: a Council (with the participation of heads of state, government and parliaments) and a parity Parliamentary Assembly. On April 2, 1997, an agreement on the union of Russia and Belarus was signed. In February 1999, the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan approved the creation of a common economic space; Tajikistan joined the customs union.

After Yeltsin's resignation, he was elected chairman of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS in January 2000. new president Russia Vladimir Putin. In the beginning. 2000 Foreign Ministers agreed to withdraw peacekeeping forces from Tajikistan in connection with the settlement of the situation in the country, as well as to extend the mandate of peacekeeping forces in Abkhazia. In June 2000, the presidents of the CIS countries adopted a statement that contained a refusal to revise the Soviet-American ABM agreement of 1972. It was also decided to create a joint Anti-Terrorism Center in Moscow to combat organized crime and religious fundamentalism.

In the beginning. In the 2000s, two camps actually emerged in the CIS. On the one hand, supporters of increased integration (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan) in October 2000 transformed the customs union into the Eurasian Economic Community (Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine joined it as observers). In October 2005, Uzbekistan also announced its intention to join the community. In 2002, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed an agreement to create the Collective Security Treaty Organization. In February 2003, the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement at a meeting in Novo-Ogarevo on the formation of the Common Economic Space (CES). The coordinating body of the SES was to be the interstate commission on trade and tariffs, not subordinate to the governments of the participating states. The SES was declared open for other countries to join. The possibility of introducing a single currency in the future was allowed.

In January 2003, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma was elected chairman of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS. The influence of supporters of strengthening the CIS was felt in September 2003 at the summit meeting in Yalta. The leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine approved the formation of the SES. At the proposal of the CIS Foreign Ministers, statements were approved on the basic principles of economic cooperation, decisions on the creation of a joint commission on interaction in the fight against illegal immigration, on extending the term of office of the head of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center and the commander of the CIS Collective Peacekeeping Forces in Abkhazia. In June 2004, Russian representative Vladimir Rushailo became the executive secretary of the CIS. In September of the same year, at a summit meeting in Astana, Putin was elected the new chairman of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS.

On the other hand, there was a rapprochement between states that did not want integration with the participation of Russia. In October 1997, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine formed their own group to strengthen cooperation in the field of trade, economics and transport links, as well as strengthen regional security. In April 1999, Uzbekistan joined it; The organization was named GUUAM (after the first letters of the names of the participating countries). In the beginning. In the 2000s, member countries took a number of measures to revive its activities, focusing primarily on trading Caspian oil and other resources in Western markets. In 2002 they announced the creation of a free trade zone. But differences between the GUUAM member countries made the emerging alliance unstable. Uzbekistan’s participation was not active, and Ukraine, interested in Russian gas supplies, was simultaneously seeking mutual understanding with the Eurasian Economic Community.

GUUAM’s activities intensified after a change of power occurred in Georgia and Ukraine in 2003–2004 (the so-called “color revolutions”). The policy of the new presidents of Georgia (Mikheil Saakashvili) and Ukraine (Viktor Yushchenko) was focused on the accession of their states to NATO and cooperation with the EU. Representatives of a number of GUUAM countries made statements expressing doubts about the potential and future role of the CIS. Thus, in September 2003, Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin expressed dissatisfaction with the creation of the Common Economic Space, which allegedly harmed the CIS. In November 2004, Georgian Defense Minister G. Baramidze said that the CIS is “yesterday.” In February 2006, Georgia officially withdrew from the CIS Council of Defense Ministers, citing its intention to join NATO. In April 2005, the Minister of Economy of Ukraine stated that further development of the CIS is problematic, and his country may reduce contributions to the Commonwealth budget. On the contrary, the anti-government uprising in Uzbekistan in the spring of 2005 and the condemnation by Western countries of measures to suppress the rebellion contributed to Uzbekistan's withdrawal from GUUAM. In August 2005, Turkmenistan moved from full to associate membership in the CIS.

Competence and main areas of activity of the CIS.

According to the CIS Charter, the areas of joint activity of the Commonwealth member states include:

– ensuring human rights and fundamental freedoms;

– coordination of foreign policy activities;

– cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, pan-European and Eurasian markets, as well as customs policy;

– cooperation in the development of transport and communication systems;

– health protection and environment;

– issues of social and migration policy;

– fight against organized crime;

– cooperation in the field of defense policy and protection of external borders.

Cooperation in the economic, social and legal fields, according to the Charter, was envisaged in the following areas:

– formation of a common economic space on the basis of market relations and free movement of goods, services, capital and labor;

– coordination social policy, development of joint social programs and measures to reduce social tension in connection with economic reforms;

– development of transport and communication systems, energy systems; coordination of credit and financial policies;

– promoting the development of trade and economic relations of the member states;

– encouragement and mutual protection of investments;

– assistance in standardization and certification of industrial products and goods;

– legal protection intellectual property;

– promoting the development of a common information space;

– implementation of joint environmental protection measures, provision of mutual assistance in eliminating the consequences of environmental disasters and other emergency situations;

– implementation of joint projects and programs in the field of science and technology, education, healthcare, culture and sports;

– conclusion of bilateral and multilateral agreements on the provision of legal assistance; convergence in the field of national legislation.

The main agreements and projects in this area are:

– formation of the “Common Economic Space” (SES, proclaimed in 2003 by Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine). As of April 2006, an organizational group is in operation, drafts of 38 basic documents that form the basis of the CES are being developed, and within the next 2-3 years after their ratification it is planned to establish the functioning of the Customs Union;

– joint programs: “Interstate target program for the development of the CIS Forces Corps to eliminate the consequences of emergencies of a natural and man-made nature” (November 1998; participants - Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine; Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has temporarily suspended its participation); "Interstate radio navigation program" (March 2001; Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine participate); interstate program “Use of natural gas as a motor fuel for vehicles” (March 2001; participants – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine); “Interstate comprehensive program for the rehabilitation of war veterans, participants in local conflicts and victims of terrorism” (May 2001; Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine); “Interstate program for creating a network of information and marketing centers to promote goods and services to the national markets of the CIS member states” (November 2001; Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine); “Interstate program for the implementation of the concept of forming a unified (common) educational space in the CIS” (November 2001; Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Tajikistan); “Program of the main events of cooperation between the CIS member states in the field of culture” (November 2001; Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine); “Program of urgent measures to combat the AIDS epidemic” (May 2002; Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine); “Program of joint actions for the prevention and control of foot and mouth disease in the Commonwealth countries” (April 2004; Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine); "Agreement on humanitarian cooperation of the CIS member states" (August 2005).

In the field of collective security and military-political cooperation, the following tasks are put forward:

– coordination of policies in the field of international security, disarmament and arms control, as well as the policy of building armed forces;

– maintaining security in the Commonwealth, incl. with the help of military observer groups and collective peacekeeping forces;

– organization of mutual consultations in order to coordinate the positions of the CIS states in the event of a threat to the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of one or more member states or international peace; taking measures to eliminate the emerging threat, including peacekeeping operations and the use of armed forces;

– coordination of the activities of border troops and other services monitoring the security of the external borders of the CIS states;

– taking measures to resolve disputes and conflicts between CIS states;

– cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism.

On May 15, 1992, in Tashkent, the CIS Collective Security Treaty was signed by Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Later it was joined by Azerbaijan (September 24, 1993), Georgia (December 9, 1993) and Belarus (December 31, 1993). The treaty entered into force on April 20, 1994. It confirmed the intention of states to renounce the use of force or the threat of its use, not to join military alliances, and to consider aggression against one of the participating states as aggression against all signatories to the treaty. On October 7, 2002, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed a charter establishing the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

The main interstate agreements regulating cooperation between the CIS countries in the military-political and security spheres are: “Program for the implementation of the Agreement on cooperation in the training and advanced training of military personnel for border troops (October 9, 1997; participants – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan); “Program of military-technical cooperation of the CIS member states” (October 7, 2002; Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine); program “Creation and development of a unified air defense system of the CIS member states” (October 7, 2002; Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan); “Program for improving cooperation between CIS member states in the border area” (October 7, 2002; Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan); “Program of cooperation in the fight against illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors” (September 16, 2004; Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine); "Interstate program of joint measures to combat crime" (September 16, 2004; Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine).

At the summit meeting of the CIS countries in August 2005 in Kazan, new documents were approved regulating cooperation between the Commonwealth states in this area: “Concept of military cooperation until 2010”, “Concept of a coordinated border policy”, “Program of cooperation in combating illegal migration for 2006– 2008,” “Program of cooperation in the fight against terrorism and other violent manifestations of extremism for 2005–2007.”

CIS financing.

Activities of CIS bodies and implementation joint programs financed by Commonwealth countries on the basis of shared participation of member states. Expenses are established in accordance with special agreements on the budgets of CIS bodies. Budgets are approved by the Council of Heads of State on the proposal of the Council of Heads of Government of the participating states. The Council of Heads of Government determines the procedure for considering issues of financial and economic activities of Commonwealth bodies. The costs associated with the participation of representatives of individual member states, experts and consultants in the work of meetings and bodies of the CIS are borne by these states themselves.

When the executive bodies of the CIS were created in 1993, the participating countries agreed to pay their share of expenses based on the capabilities of the national budget. Thus, in 2004, state contributions to the unified budget of the CIS bodies were planned in the amount of 251,670.2 thousand Russian rubles. Contributions from individual countries were (in thousand rubles): Russia – 112,139.8 (44.6%), Ukraine – 25,534 (10.1%), Kazakhstan – 16,471.2 (6.5%), Belarus – 16,360.3 (6.5%), Uzbekistan – 13,472 (5.4%), Armenia – 12,346.8 (4.9%), Kyrgyzstan – 12,264.3 (4.9%), Tajikistan – 12196.7 (4.8%), Georgia – 9164.7 (3.6%), Moldova – 9133.4 (3.6%), Azerbaijan – 8240.4 (3.3%), Turkmenistan – 4346 .6 (1.7%). Contributions were subject to monthly transfers. The contributed amounts were intended for the maintenance of Commonwealth bodies and holding meetings of the Councils of Heads of State, Heads of Government, Foreign Ministers and the CIS Economic Council. According to the approved draft budget, out of 251,670.2 thousand rubles for the activities of CIS bodies. expenses allocated 137,025.6 thousand rubles. (54.4%), of which for the activities of the CIS Executive Committee - 116,530.8 thousand rubles, the Interstate Statistical Committee of the CIS - 20,494.8 thousand rubles. 20,532.7 thousand rubles were allocated for the activities of the CIS Economic Court (resolution of disputes arising in the sphere of economic relations of the participating states). (8.2%). For international activities (support and development of contacts with international organizations in economic, military-political, peacekeeping, social and other fields) - 1333.6 thousand rubles. (0.5%). For cooperation in the field law enforcement and security, 62,347.2 thousand rubles were allocated. (24.8%), of which for the activities of the Bureau for Coordination of the Fight against Organized Crime and other types of crimes on the territory of the Member States - 18,305 thousand rubles, for the activities of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center - 27,005.9 thousand rubles, for the Coordination Service of the Council of Commanders of Border Troops - 17,036.3 thousand rubles. An amount of 30,431.1 rubles was allocated for military cooperation between the CIS states. (12.1%), including 28,470 thousand rubles. for the activities of the Headquarters for Coordination of Military Cooperation and 1961.1 thousand rubles. for the work of the Interstate Coordination Center for perpetuating the memory of defenders of the Fatherland. Expenses for the activities of the Temporary Operational Working Group to resolve the conflict in Abkhazia were not included in the CIS budget.

The CIS Executive Committee has the right to make changes to the functional, departmental and economic structure of expenses during budget execution.

The incomplete transfer by the Commonwealth member states of shared contributions to the CIS budget (the debt for 2001–2002 amounted to 115.6 million rubles), as indicated in the documents at the summit meeting of the CIS heads of state in Yalta (2003), “put all Commonwealth bodies in the most difficult financial situation and led to the impossibility of their normal functioning and the full implementation of the tasks assigned to them.” The meeting participants considered it expedient to allow the Executive Committee to create a stabilization fund for the CIS budget (at the expense of funds received to repay debts, interest, sold property and valuables, etc.).

At the summit meeting in Astana (September 2004), the CIS budget for 2005 was planned in the amount of 296,510.7 thousand rubles. Contributions (as a percentage) were distributed between countries as follows: Russia - 44.5, Ukraine - 10.6, Kazakhstan - 6.5, Belarus - 6.4, Uzbekistan - 5.5, Armenia - 4.7, Kyrgyzstan - 4.7, Tajikistan – 4.7, Georgia – 3.7, Moldova – 3.6, Azerbaijan – 3.3 and Turkmenistan – 1.8. However, at a meeting of heads of government of the CIS countries (Tbilisi, June 2005), most countries called for a review of the funding procedure. In particular, the idea was put forward of establishing a funding rate depending on the size of the GDP of each country. The question of the principles of future financing will be resolved within the framework of the planned reform of the CIS and its institutions.

CIS institutions and bodies.

Interaction between the CIS member countries is carried out through a number of coordinating bodies.

Statutory bodies.

In accordance with the CIS Charter of 1993, the supreme body of the Commonwealth is the Council of Heads of State (CHS), formed simultaneously with the creation of the CIS. All member states are represented. The Council discusses and resolves fundamental issues of the Commonwealth related to the common interests of states, as well as any issues of interest to these states. The CIS makes decisions regarding amendments to the CIS Charter, the creation of new or abolition of existing CIS bodies, as well as the organization of the structure of the Commonwealth and the activities of its bodies. He is authorized to hear reports on the activities of Commonwealth bodies, approve their leaders, etc. According to the charter, meetings of the Council meet twice a year, and extraordinary meetings are held at the initiative of one of the member states. Recently, meetings have been held once a year. Decisions in the CHS are made on the basis of general agreement (consensus). Any member state can declare its disinterest in resolving a particular issue, however, this does not serve as an obstacle to the decision-making of the remaining members of the Commonwealth. The chairmanship of the CHS is carried out alternately by heads of state based on the principle of rotation for a period of no more than a year (with the possibility of extension). At the meeting of the CGG in September 2004 in Astana, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, was elected chairman of the CGG.

The Council of Heads of Government (CHG) coordinates cooperation between the executive authorities of the CIS member states in economic, social and other areas of common interests. He carries out instructions given by the Council of Heads of State; implements provisions on the creation of an economic union and a free trade zone; adopts joint programs for the development of industry, agriculture, transport, communications, energy, science and technology, as well as cooperation in the areas of tariff, credit, financial and tax policy. The SGP creates bodies of the Commonwealth within its competence and approves their leaders, and also resolves issues of financial support for the activities of CIS bodies. The Council meets twice a year; Extraordinary meetings may be convened at the initiative of any of the Member States. The principles of decision-making and chairmanship in the CSG are the same as in the CSG. The Chairman of the SGP is the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Fradkov.

The Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs (CMFA, formed in 1993) coordinates the foreign policy activities of the CIS member states. Its members are the foreign ministers of the participating countries. According to the regulations approved by the State Duma on April 2, 1999, the Council of Foreign Ministers is the main executive body that ensures cooperation on major foreign policy issues of mutual interest. He acts in the period between the meetings of the CHS and the CST, making decisions on their behalf; organizes the implementation of decisions of these bodies; promotes the development of cooperation in the field of foreign policy and diplomacy, in the humanitarian and legal spheres; seeks ways to peacefully resolve conflicts and disputes; promotes the establishment of a climate of peace, harmony and stability, strengthening friendship and international cooperation. The Council of Foreign Ministers considers the implementation of the decisions of the Council of State Duma and the State Duma, international treaties and agreements concluded within the CIS; gives conclusions and final recommendations on the draft agenda of the meetings of the CHS and the CSP; conducts consultations between participating states; organizes their interaction in the UN and other international organizations, etc. Meetings are usually held on the eve of meetings in the CHS and the CST. The Chairman of the Council of Foreign Ministers is Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The Council of Defense Ministers (CMD) was formed by decision of the Council of State Duma in February 1992 as a body of the Council of Heads of State on issues of military policy and military development. The CMO includes the defense ministers of the CIS countries (with the exception of Moldova, Turkmenistan and Ukraine) and the Chief of Staff for the coordination of military cooperation of the CIS countries. The Council’s tasks include reviewing the concepts of military policy and military cooperation of the CIS states and submitting appropriate proposals for consideration by the CIS, as well as coordinating military cooperation and organizing the activities of a group of military observers and collective peacekeeping forces in the CIS. The CFR is called upon to develop proposals for coordinating the efforts of member states in the field of preventing armed conflicts, bringing together regulations in the field of military development and social protection of military personnel and persons discharged from military service. The CMO meets at least once every four months. The Chairman of the Council is Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov. CFR bodies – Headquarters for the coordination of military cooperation of the CIS countries and the CFR Secretariat. Since 1995, the Coordination Committee on Air Defense has been operating under the Council of Defense.

The Council of Commanders of Border Troops (CCPV) was established by the decision of the CHS on July 6, 1992 as a collegial body of the CHS and the CSG on the coordination of the protection of the external borders of the CIS and the economic zones of the participating countries. It consists of commanders or chiefs of border troops or other authorized representatives of the Commonwealth member states (with the exception of Azerbaijan, Moldova and Ukraine), as well as the chairman of the Coordination Service of the Council of Commanders. The JCCV is called upon to coordinate efforts to implement the decisions of the Joint State Duma, the Joint State Command and its own decisions relating to border issues; coordinate the actions of border troops to protect external borders and economic zones; contribute to the strengthening of the border troops of the participating countries and cooperation between them. Chairman of the Council – Vladimir Pronichev. Meetings of the SKPV are held at least once a quarter; The permanent working body is the Coordination Service.

The Economic Court of the CIS, according to the Charter of the Commonwealth, acts to ensure the fulfillment of economic obligations within the CIS. It was formed in accordance with the agreement on measures to ensure improved settlements between economic organizations of the Commonwealth countries (May 15, 1992) and the agreement on the status of the Economic Court (July 6, 1992). The parties to the agreement are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The competence of the Court includes resolving economic disputes between the states parties to the agreement that arise in the performance of economic obligations within the Commonwealth, and resolving issues of compliance of regulatory and other acts of states with these obligations and relevant agreements. Consideration of disputes is carried out at the request of interested states and CIS institutions. In addition, the Economic Court, when considering specific cases or at the request of states and institutions of the Commonwealth, provides an interpretation of the application of the provisions of agreements and acts of the CIS, as well as acts of the former USSR. In accordance with the agreement between the CIS and the Euro-Asian Economic Community of March 3, 2004, the CIS Economic Court also performs the functions of the court of this organization.

The Economic Court consists of equal number judges from each participating state. Judges are elected or appointed for a ten-year term by states from among judges of economic and arbitration courts and other specialists. The Economic Court is located in Minsk. The chairmen of the court and his deputies are elected by judges by a majority vote and approved by the Judicial Council for a five-year term. Since March 2003, Anara Kerimbaeva has been the chairman of the court. The highest collegial body of the Economic Court is the plenum, which consists of judges of the Economic Court and chairmen of the highest economic courts of the eight states parties to the agreement. The chairman of the plenum is the chairman of the court, the secretary of the plenum is elected by its members for a period of five years. The Plenum meets at least once a quarter.

The Interparliamentary Assembly (IPA) is an interstate body for cooperation between the parliaments of the CIS countries. It was established as a consultative institution to discuss issues and draft documents of mutual interest on March 27, 1992 on the basis of the Alma-Ata Agreement, signed by the heads of parliaments of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. By 1995, the IPA also included the parliaments of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova, and in 1999 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. In May 1995, the heads of state of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and in 1997 Moldova signed the IPA Convention, according to which it became an interstate body for resolving issues of rapprochement and harmonization of legislative acts of the Commonwealth countries on the basis model legislation and recommendations adopted by it. Thus, the IPA has developed acts and recommendations regarding social rights and guarantees of citizens, consumer protection, labor migration, protection of civilians, rights of prisoners of war, etc.; works to create legislative mechanisms for the formation of a common cultural space and a free trade zone, coordination of policies in the field of science and technology, environmental protection, and the fight against crime and corruption. The Assembly makes recommendations on synchronizing the ratification of interstate and international treaties by the parliaments of the CIS countries. As part of peacekeeping activities in the Commonwealth, the IPA Council established commissions to resolve conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh, Transnistria, Abkhazia and Tajikistan. On the initiative of the IPA, annual St. Petersburg economic forums are held. The 10th anniversary forum took place in June 2006; 975 delegates from 50 countries took part in its work.

Delegations of parliaments of ten CIS member states take part in the plenary sessions of the IPA (held at least twice a year). The organization of the activities of the IPA is entrusted to its Council, which consists of the leaders of parliamentary delegations and meets four times a year. The Chairman of the Assembly Council is the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia Sergei Mironov. The preparation of the activities of the IPA and its Council is carried out by the Secretariat (located in St. Petersburg) with the institution of permanent representatives of national parliaments. The post of General Secretary of the Council is Mikhail Krotov; Permanent representatives of parliaments are ex-officio deputies to the Secretary General.

There are also permanent commissions of the IPA: on legal issues; in economics and finance; on social policy and human rights; on ecology and natural resources; on defense and security issues; on science and education; on culture, information, tourism and sports; on foreign policy issues; to study the experience of state construction and local self-government; There is also a budgetary control commission.

The IPA maintains contractual relations with the Parliamentary Assembly of Northern Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, the Central American Parliament, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, etc.

The CIS Human Rights Commission is a body that monitors the implementation of human rights obligations undertaken by the CIS countries. Established in accordance with the decision of the Commonwealth of Independent States on the approval of the Regulations on the Commission on Human Rights (September 24, 1993) and the CIS Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (May 26, 1995). In accordance with the convention, the regulations on the commission came into force on August 11, 1998. Its composition should include representatives of member states, and its chairmanship should be alternate. Minsk was chosen as the seat of the commission. To date, the commission has not been formed.

Executive bodies of the CIS.

The CIS Executive Committee was formed by decision of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS on April 2, 1999 on the basis of the CIS Executive Secretariat, the apparatus of the Interstate Economic Committee of the Economic Union, and the working apparatus of a number of interstate and intergovernmental industry bodies. The Committee is designed to ensure the activities of the Councils of Heads of State, Heads of Government, Foreign Ministers and the Economic Council; develop proposals for the CIS strategy; carry out legal processing of documents; analyze the progress of implementation of decisions and agreements, as well as systematically informing the highest bodies of the Commonwealth. The Executive Committee is a permanent body, the location of the committee is Minsk. The Chairman of the Executive Committee is appointed by the Council of Heads of State. In 1999, Vladimir Rushailo was appointed to the post of chairman of the committee.

The CIS Economic Council is the main executive body that ensures the implementation of agreements and decisions of the CIS and the CGS concerning the formation and operation of a free trade zone, as well as other issues of socio-economic cooperation. It is accountable to the CSG and the CSG of the Commonwealth, established in accordance with the decision of the CSG on improving and reforming the structure of the CIS bodies (April 2, 1999). The Regulations on the Economic Council were approved in January 2000. The Council is designed to promote the deepening of economic cooperation within the CIS, the formation of a free trade zone and the free movement of goods, services, labor and capital. Its tasks include developing proposals for cooperation between firms, joint programs and projects for the development of industry, agriculture, transport and resource development; expansion of cooperation in issues of education, healthcare, social protection and culture. The Council develops and submits draft relevant decisions to the CSG and the CGG and provides them with reports on development trends, reviews the progress in fulfilling obligations, conducts economic consultations, collects information, etc.

The Economic Council consists of deputy heads of government of the CIS member countries. Its meetings are held at least once a quarter. The chairman of the council is the Minister of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation Viktor Khristenko. The permanent body of the Economic Council is the Commission on Economic Affairs (located in Moscow), consisting of authorized representatives of states to the Economic Council and meeting at least once a month.

Council of Permanent Plenipotentiary Representatives of the Commonwealth member states to the statutory and other bodies of the Commonwealth. Established in accordance with the decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers. Meetings of the Council are held at least once a month. Chairman – Amirkhon Safarov, Permanent Plenipotentiary Representative of Tajikistan.

Industry cooperation bodies.

Within the CIS there is approx. 70 industry cooperation bodies that are designed to promote the development of multilateral interaction between member states. They agree on the principles and rules of such cooperation in specific areas of economics, science, humanitarian affairs, military development, etc. and facilitate the implementation of practical agreements. The composition of these bodies, as a rule, includes heads of the relevant executive authorities of the CIS countries. Industry cooperation bodies, within their competence, accept recommendations and also submit proposals for consideration by the Council of Heads of Government.

The following industry bodies are currently active. In the field of industry and construction:

– Interstate Council of Heads of Ministries and Departments for Cooperation in the Field of Mechanical Engineering (established 1993); Interstate Council on Antimonopoly Policy (1993); Intergovernmental Council for Cooperation in Construction Activities (1994); Advisory Council for the Support and Development of Small Business (1997); Interstate Council on Industrial Safety (2001); Advisory Council of Heads of State (Executive) Power Bodies Managing State Material Reserves (2004).

In the field of agriculture:

– Intergovernmental Council on Agro-Industrial Complex (1993); Intergovernmental Council for Cooperation in the Field of Veterinary Medicine (1993/1995); Intergovernmental Coordination Council on Seed Issues (1996).

In the field of transport and communications:

– Council on Aviation and Airspace Use (1991); Interstate Council on Space (1991); Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications (1991); Rail Transport Council (1992); Interstate Advisory Council "Radio Navigation" (1993); Coordination Council of Intergovernmental Courier Communications (1993); Transport coordination meeting; Intergovernmental Council of Road Builders (1998); Interstate Coordination Council of the Interstate Television and Radio Company “Mir” (2005).

In the field of scientific and technological progress:

– Interstate Coordination Council for Scientific and Technical Information (1992); Interstate Council for Standardization, Metrology and Certification (1992); Interstate Council for the Protection of Industrial Property (1993); Interstate Scientific and Technical Council (1995); Coordination Council for Informatization (2002); Administrative Council of the Eurasian Patent Organization.

In the field of energy:

– Electricity Board (1992); Intergovernmental Council on Oil and Gas (1993); Intergovernmental Council for Cooperation in the Field of Chemistry and Petrochemistry (1993); Commission on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy (1997).

In the field of natural resources:

– Intergovernmental Council on Exploration, Use and Protection of Subsoil (1997); Intergovernmental Council on timber industry complex and Forestry (1998).

In the field of trade, finance, customs policy and insurance:

– Council of Heads of Foreign Economic Agencies; Interstate Bank (1993); Council of Customs Directors (1993); Interstate Currency Committee (1995); Interstate Council on Exhibition and Fair Activities (1995); Leasing Confederation (1997); International Association exchanges (2000); Council of Chief Executives of Supreme Audit Institutions (2000); Coordination Council on Accounting under the CIS Executive Committee (2000); Council of Leaders of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (2002); Council of Heads of State Bodies for Market Regulation valuable papers(2003); Interstate Coordination Council of Heads of Insurance Supervision Bodies (2005).

In the field of ecology:

– Interstate Environmental Council (1992); Interstate Council on Hydrometeorology (1992); Interstate Council on Geodesy, Cartography, Cadastre and Remote Sensing of the Earth (1992).

In the field of natural and man-made emergencies:

– Interstate Council for emergency situations natural and man-made (1993).

In the field of security and crime control:

– Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs (1996); Council of Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services (1997); Coordinating Council of Prosecutors General (2000); Joint Working Commission of the States Parties to the Agreement on Cooperation in the Suppression of Offenses in the Field of Intellectual Property (2000); Anti-Terrorism Center (2000); Coordination Council of Heads of Tax Investigation Bodies (2000); Joint Commission of the States Parties to the Agreement on Cooperation in the Fight against Illegal Migration (2004); Bureau for coordination of the fight against organized crime and other types of crimes in the CIS.

In the field of education, culture and social policy:

– Advisory Council on Labor, Migration and Social Protection of the Population (1992); Health Cooperation Council (1992); Committee on the Affairs of Soldiers-Internationalists under the Council of Heads of Government (1992); Council of Chairmen of Defense Sports and Technical Organizations (Societies) (1993); Tourism Council of the States Parties to the Agreement (1994); Council for Cooperation in the Field of Culture (1995); Council for Cooperation in Education (1997); Interlibrary Loan Section (1999). Meetings of the Interstate Committee for the Dissemination of Knowledge and Adult Education (1997) have not been held since 2002.

In the field of law:

– Scientific Advisory Center for Private Law of the CIS (1994); Council of Chairmen of Higher Arbitration, Economic, Economic and other Courts Resolving Cases on Disputes in the Economic Sphere (2002); Legal Advisory Council; Advisory Committee of Heads of Legal Services of Ministries of Foreign Affairs (2004); Council of Ministers of Justice (2005); CIS observer mission for presidential and parliamentary elections.

In the field of information and statistics:

– Council of Heads of Statistical Services (1991); Council of Heads of State Information Services (Inform Council, 1995); Interstate Council for Cooperation in the Field of Periodicals, Book Publishing, Book Distribution and Printing (1999); State Archives Chief Advisory Council (2004).

The Joint Consultative Commission on Disarmament Issues (1992) is not functioning. The work of the CIS temporary operational working group to resolve the conflict in Abkhazia (1999) has been suspended.

A number of specialized international organizations have also been created within the CIS: Coordination Council of the International Union "Commonwealth" public organizations veterans (pensioners) of independent states" (1991); Interstate TV and Radio Company "Mir" (1992); International Union consumer cooperation(1992); International Academy of Viticulture and Winemaking (1996); International Agro-Industrial Union (Soyuzagro, 2002), etc.

CIS reforms.

From the beginning In the 2000s, some member countries put forward proposals to reform the Commonwealth of Independent States. On September 16, 2004, the Council of Heads of State made a fundamental decision on the need to reform the CIS bodies. This topic was discussed at meetings of representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs of member states and expert meetings, and in August 2005 it was considered at meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers. The developed proposals formed the basis of the draft document presented to the participants of the meeting of the Council of State Duma (Kazan, August 26, 2005).

The improvement and reform of CIS bodies is aimed at implementing measures to further enhance the activities of Commonwealth bodies and strengthen integration processes. In the field of economic cooperation, it is envisaged to increase the responsibility of the Economic Council and the Commission on Economic Affairs for the implementation of relevant decisions, expand the functions of the Interstate Statistical Committee, give the Council of Permanent Representatives of Member States to the CIS bodies the status of a Commonwealth body, and study ways to improve the efficiency of the Economic Court.

In the field of military cooperation, it was decided to abolish the Coordination Headquarters and transfer its functions to the Secretariat of the Council of Defense Ministers, reduce the Coordination Service of the Council of Border Troops Commanders by 10% and intensify interaction within the framework of the Coordination Meeting of the Heads of Law Enforcement Agencies of the CIS Countries (includes the Coordination Council of Prosecutors General, the Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs Affairs, Council of Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services, Council of Commanders of Border Troops, Coordination Council of Heads of Tax (Financial) Investigation Bodies, Council of Heads of Customs Services with the participation of heads of Ministries of Foreign Affairs).

Preparations for reforms in the executive apparatus of the CIS continue: optimization of the structure and activities of the Executive Committee (these decisions should be made by the Council of Foreign Ministers and the Council of Permanent Plenipotentiaries of Member States) and an inventory of sectoral cooperation bodies (the Executive Committee and the Council of Representatives should submit recommendations for consideration by the Councils of Heads states and governments). The Council of Ministers of Justice of the CIS States was formed and the regulations on it and on the Interstate Council of Heads of Supreme Financial Control Institutions of the CIS Member States were approved.

The CHS continues to take stock of the legal framework of the Commonwealth. The Executive Committee and the Council of Representatives are tasked with analyzing the methods of decision-making in the CIS bodies, based on the practice of international organizations. The Executive Committee and the Council of Representatives should also prepare proposals to improve the work of the CIS Observer Mission in elections and referendums and consider additional proposals from states to improve cooperation within the CIS, including: conceptual issues, financing, etc. Russia proposed creating a “high-level group” in the Commonwealth with the participation of persons enjoying authority in the member states (modeled on the UN “group of wise men”). 2006 was declared “the year of the CIS”.

The participants of the meeting in Kazan (August 2005) approved the Concept of a coordinated border policy, the Protocol on the approval of the Regulations on the organization of interaction between border and other departments of the participating states in providing assistance in the emergence and resolution/liquidation of crisis situations on external borders, the Program of cooperation in combating illegal migration on 2006–2008 and the Program of Cooperation in the Fight against Terrorism and Other Violent Manifestations of Extremism for 2005–2007. Proposals made by Ukraine regarding cooperation in the field of pensions, international legal consolidation of state borders of the CIS countries, the creation of transport and energy corridors and a number of other issues were submitted for consideration to the Executive Committee and the Economic Council of the Commonwealth.

Internet resources: http://cis.minsk.by/

http://pravo.kulichki.ru/zak/megd/

http://www.kaznachey.com/azs/337/

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The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), also called the Russian Commonwealth, is a regional organization whose member countries are former Soviet republics formed during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The CIS is a free association of states. Although the CIS has few supranational powers, it is more than a purely symbolic organization and nominally has coordinating powers in the areas of trade, finance, lawmaking and security. The CIS also promotes cooperation on cross-border crime prevention. Some of the CIS members formed the Eurasian Economic Community with the goal of creating a full-fledged common market.

History of the CIS

The organization was founded on December 8, 1991 by the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, when the leaders of the three countries met in nature reserve Belovezhskaya Pushcha, located 50 km north of Brest in Belarus, and signed an agreement to dissolve the Soviet Union and create the CIS as the legal successor of the USSR.

At the same time, they announced that the new alliance would be open to all republics of the former Soviet Union, and other countries sharing the same goals. The Charter of the CIS states that all its members are sovereign and independent states, and thus the Soviet Union was essentially abolished.

On December 21, 1991, the leaders of eight other former Soviet republics - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - signed the Almaty Protocol and became part of the CIS, increasing the number of participating countries to 11. Georgia joined the CIS two years later in December 1993.

Between 2003 and 2005, three CIS member states changed governments in a series of color revolutions: Eduard Shevardnadze was overthrown in Georgia; Viktor Yushchenko was elected in Ukraine; and Askar Akayev was overthrown in Kyrgyzstan. In February 2006, Georgia withdrew from the CIS Council of Defense Ministers due to the fact that “Georgia has set a course for joining NATO, and it cannot be part of two military structures at the same time,” but it was still a full member of the CIS until August 2009 years, and withdrew from the CIS a year after the official announcement of withdrawal immediately after the war in South Ossetia in 2008. In March 2007, Igor Ivanov, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, expressed doubts about the usefulness of the CIS, emphasizing that the Eurasian Economic Community was becoming a more competent organization uniting the largest CIS countries. Following Georgia's withdrawal from the CIS, the presidents of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan missed the CIS meeting in October 2009, each having their own issues and disagreements with the Russian Federation at the time.

In May 2009, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine joined the Eastern Partnership, a project initiated by the European Union (EU).

Membership in the CIS

The Creation Agreement remained the main founding document of the CIS until January 1993, when the CIS Charter was adopted. The Charter established the concept of membership: a member country is defined as a country that ratifies the CIS Charter. Turkmenistan has not ratified the Charter and changed its status in the CIS to associate member as of August 26, 2005 in order to comply with the UN-recognized status of international neutrality. Although Ukraine was one of the three founding countries and ratified the Agreement Establishing the CIS in December 1991, this country also did not ratify the CIS Charter because it did not agree with Russia being the sole successor to the Soviet Union. At the same time, Ukraine is not officially considered a member of the CIS, although in fact it is a member of it.

Official participants of the CIS

A countrySignedRatifiedCharter ratifiedMember status
ArmeniaDecember 21, 1991February 18, 1992March 16, 1994Official participant
AzerbaijanDecember 21, 1991September 24, 1993December 14, 1993Official participant
BelarusDecember 8, 1991December 10, 1991January 18, 1994Official participant
KazakhstanDecember 21, 1991December 23, 1991April 20, 1994Official participant
KyrgyzstanDecember 21, 1991March 6, 1992April 12, 1994Official participant
MoldovaDecember 21, 1991April 8, 1994June 27, 1994Official participant
RussiaDecember 8, 1991December 12, 1991July 20, 1993Official participant
TajikistanDecember 21, 1991June 26, 1993August 4, 1993Official participant
UzbekistanDecember 21, 1991April 1, 1992February 9, 1994Official participant

States that have not ratified the CIS Charter

On March 14, 2014, a bill on withdrawal from the CIS after the annexation of Crimea to Russia was submitted to the Ukrainian parliament.

Although Ukraine was one of the three founding countries and ratified the Agreement establishing the CIS in December 1991, Ukraine did not actually ratify the CIS Charter. In 1993, Ukraine became an "Associate Member" of the CIS.

Former CIS member countries

CIS Executive Secretaries

Human rights in the CIS

Since its creation, one of the main objectives of the CIS has been to serve as a forum for discussing issues related to the socio-economic development of the newly independent states. To achieve this goal, member states have agreed to promote and protect human rights. Initially, efforts to achieve this goal consisted only of statements of goodwill, but on May 26, 1995, the CIS adopted the Convention of the Commonwealth of Independent States on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Even before 1995, the protection of human rights was guaranteed by Article 33 of the CIS Charter, which was adopted in 1991, and the established Human Rights Commission was located in Minsk, Belarus. This was confirmed by the decision of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS in 1993. In 1995, the CIS adopted a human rights treaty, which includes civil and political, as well as social and economic human rights. This treaty came into force in 1998. The CIS Treaty was modeled on the European Convention on Human Rights, but it lacks strong mechanisms for the implementation of human rights. The CIS treaty defines the powers of the Human Rights Commission very vaguely. The Charter of the Human Rights Commission, however, is used in the CIS member states as a solution to problems, which gives the Commission the right to interstate as well as individual communications.

The CIS Treaty offers a number of valuable innovations that are not found in other organizations. Especially regional human rights treaties such as the European Convention on Human Rights in terms of the human rights it protects and the means of protection. It includes a combination of social and economic rights and rights in vocational education and citizenship. It also offers countries in the former Soviet Union the opportunity to deal with human rights issues in a more familiar cultural environment.

However, members of the CIS, especially in Central Asia, continue to be among the worst human rights countries in the world. Many activists point to the 2005 Andijan events in Uzbekistan, or the cult of personality of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in Turkmenistan, to show that there has been virtually no improvement in human rights since the collapse of the Soviet Union in Central Asia. President Vladimir Putin's consolidation of power has led to a steady decline in Russia's modest progress of previous years. The Commonwealth of Independent States continues to face serious challenges in achieving even basic international standards.

Military structures of the CIS

The CIS Charter defines the activities of the Council of Defense Ministers, which is vested with the authority to coordinate military cooperation between the CIS member states. To this end, the Council is developing conceptual approaches to issues of military and defense policy of the CIS member states; develops proposals aimed at preventing armed conflicts on the territory of member states or with their participation; provides expert opinions on draft treaties and agreements related to defense and military development issues; brings issues related to proposals and initiatives to the attention of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS. Also important is the work of the Council to bring together legal acts in the field of defense and military development.

An important manifestation of integration processes in the field of military and defense cooperation between the CIS member states is the creation in 1995 of a joint CIS air defense system. Over the years, the number of military personnel in the joint CIS air defense system has doubled along the western European border of the CIS and 1.5 times on the southern borders.

CIS-related organizations

CIS Free Trade Area (CISFTA)

In 1994, the CIS countries “agreed” to create a free trade area (FTA), but never signed the corresponding agreements. An agreement on a CIS FTA would unite all members except Turkmenistan.

In 2009, a new agreement was signed to begin the creation of the CIS FTA (CISFTA). In October 2011, a new free trade agreement was signed by eight prime ministers of the eleven CIS countries: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine at a meeting in St. Petersburg. As of 2013, it has been ratified by Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Armenia, and is valid only between these states.

The free trade agreement eliminates export and import tariffs on a number of goods, but also contains a number of exceptions that will eventually be removed. An agreement was also signed on the basic principles of currency regulation and currency control in the CIS countries at the same meeting in October 2011.

Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC)

The Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) emerged from a customs union between Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan on March 29, 1996. It was named EurAsEC on October 10, 2000, when Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed a corresponding agreement. The EurAsEC was officially created when the treaty was finally ratified by all five member states in May 2001. Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine have observer status. The EurAsEC is working to create a common energy market and explore more efficient use of water in Central Asia.

Organization of Central Asian Cooperation (CAC)

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan formed CACO in 1991 as the Central Asian Commonwealth (CAC). The organization continued its work in 1994 as the Central Asian economic union(CAPS), in which Tajikistan and Turkmenistan did not participate. In 1998, it became known as the Central Asian Economic Cooperation (CAEC), which marked the return of Tajikistan. On February 28, 2002, it was renamed to its current name. Russia joined CACO on May 28, 2004. On October 7, 2005, it was decided among the member states that Uzbekistan would join the Eurasian economic community and that the organizations will be merged.

The organizations joined on January 25, 2006. It is not yet clear what will happen to the status of the current CAC observers who are not observers in the EurAsEC (Georgia and Turkey).

Common Economic Space (SES)

After a discussion on the creation of a single economic space, between the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan, an agreement in principle was reached on the creation of this space after a meeting in Novo-Ogarevo near Moscow on February 23, 2003. The Common Economic Space envisaged the creation of a supranational commission on trade and tariffs, which would be based in Kyiv, initially headed by a representative of Kazakhstan and not subordinate to the governments of the four countries. The ultimate goal would be a regional organization that would be open to other countries joining as well, and could eventually even lead to a single currency.

On May 22, 2003, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) voted 266 votes to 51 against in favor of creating a joint economic space. However, most believe that Viktor Yushchenko's victory in the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election was a significant blow to the organization: Yushchenko showed renewed interest in Ukraine's membership of the European Union and such membership would be incompatible with membership in the single economic space. Yushchenko's successor, Viktor Yanukovych, said on April 27, 2010, “Ukraine's entry into the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan is not possible today, since economic principles and WTO laws do not allow this, and we are developing our policy in accordance with WTO principles.” Ukraine on at that moment it was already a member of the WTO, but the rest of the CIS countries were not.

Thus, the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia was created in 2010, and the creation of a single market was envisaged in 2012.

Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) or simply the Tashkent Treaty first started as the CIS Collective Security Treaty, which was signed on May 15, 1992 by Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in the city of Tashkent. Azerbaijan signed the treaty on September 24, 1993, Georgia on December 9, 1993, and Belarus on December 31, 1993. The agreement entered into force on April 20, 1994.

The Collective Security Treaty was signed for a period of 5 years. On April 2, 1999, only six CSTO members signed the protocol to extend the treaty for another five-year period, while Azerbaijan, Georgia and Uzbekistan refused to sign it and withdrew from the treaty; together with Moldova and Ukraine, they formed a more pro-Western pro-American group known as "GUAM" (Georgia, Uzbekistan / Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova). The organization was named the CSTO on October 7, 2002 in Tashkent. Nikolai Bordyuzha was appointed general secretary of the new organization. During 2005, the CSTO partners conducted several joint military exercises. In 2005, Uzbekistan withdrew from GUAM, and on June 23, 2006, Uzbekistan became a full member of the CSTO, and its membership was officially ratified by parliament on March 28, 2008. The CSTO is an observer organization at the United Nations General Assembly.

The CSTO Charter confirmed the desire of all participating states to refrain from the use or threat of force. Signatories cannot join other military alliances or other groups of states, while aggression against one signatory will be perceived as aggression against all. To this end, the CSTO annually conducts military command exercises among CSTO members in order to be able to improve cooperation within the organization. Large-scale military exercises of the CSTO were held in Armenia and were called “Rubezh-2008”. They involved a total of 4,000 military personnel from all 7 CSTO member countries to conduct operational, strategic and tactical exercises with an emphasis on further improving the efficiency of the collective defense elements of CSTO partners.

In May 2007 general secretary CSTO Nikolai Bordyuzha invited Iran to join the CSTO, “The CSTO is open organization. If Iran is willing to act in accordance with our charter, we will consider joining." If Iran were to join the CSTO, it would be the first state outside the former Soviet Union to become a member of the organization.

On October 6, 2007, CSTO members agreed to significantly expand the organization, in particular to introduce the possibility of creating CSTO peacekeeping forces that could be deployed under a UN mandate or without it in CSTO member states. The expansion will also allow all members to purchase Russian weapons at the same price as in Russia. The CSTO signed an agreement with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Tajik capital Dushanbe to expand cooperation on issues such as security, crime and drug trafficking.

On August 29, 2008, Russia announced its intention to seek CSTO recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, three days after Russia officially recognized these republics. On September 5, 2008, Armenia assumed the chairmanship of the CSTO during the CSTO meeting in Moscow, Russia.

In October 2009, Ukraine refused to allow the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center to conduct anti-terrorism exercises on its territory because the Constitution of Ukraine prohibits the deployment of foreign military units on its territory.

The largest military exercise ever conducted by the CSTO, involving up to 12 thousand troops, was held between September 19 and 27, 2011, with the aim of increasing preparedness and coordination in the field of anti-destabilization techniques to counter any attempts of popular uprisings such as the Arab spring.

CIS Observer Mission

The CIS Election Observation Organization is an election observation body that was formed in October 2002, following the meeting of heads of state of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which adopted the Convention on Standards for Democratic Elections, Electoral Rights and Freedoms in the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States . CIS-EMO sent election observers to CIS member countries; CIS observers approved many of the elections, which were sharply criticized by independent observers.

The democratic nature of the final round of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election, which followed the Orange Revolution and brought the former opposition to power, was rife with irregularities, according to CIS observers, while the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) found no significant problems. This was the first time that a team of CIS observers challenged the legitimacy of the elections, saying they should be considered illegitimate. On March 15, 2005, in connection with this fact, Ukraine suspended its participation in the CIS election observation organization.

The CIS praised the parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan in 2005 as “legitimate, free and transparent,” and the OSCE praised Uzbek elections as the elections being “significantly inconsistent with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections.”

Moldovan authorities refused to invite CIS observers to the 2005 Moldovan parliamentary elections - an action that was sharply criticized in Russia. Many dozens of observers from Belarus and Russia were stopped at the border of Moldova.

CIS observers monitored Tajikistan's 2005 parliamentary elections and ultimately declared them "legal, free and transparent." The same elections were described by the OSCE as not meeting international standards for democratic elections.

Shortly after CIS Observers hailed the 2005 Kyrgyz parliamentary elections as “well-organized, free and fair,” large-scale and often violent demonstrations broke out across the country in protest, with the opposition alleging fraud in the parliamentary elections. The OSCE said the elections did not meet international standards in many areas.

International observers from the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly said the 2010 local elections in Ukraine were well organized, while the Council of Europe identified a number of problems with the new election law approved just before the elections, and the Administration of US President Barack Obama criticized the conduct elections, saying they “did not meet standards of openness and fairness.”

Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS

The CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, which began its work in March 1995, is a consultative parliamentary wing of the CIS, created to discuss problems of parliamentary cooperation. The Assembly held its 32nd plenary meeting in St. Petersburg on May 14, 2009. Ukraine participates in the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, but Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan do not participate.

Status of the Russian language in the CIS

Russia has repeatedly called for the Russian language to receive official status in all CIS member states. Until now, Russian is the official language in only four of these states: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Russian is also considered an official language in the Transnistria region, as well as in the autonomous region of Gagauzia in Moldova. Viktor Yanukovych, a Moscow-backed presidential candidate in the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election, has announced his intention to make Russian the second official language in Ukraine. However, Viktor Yushchenko, the winner, did not do this. At the beginning of 2010, in connection with his election to the presidency, Yanukovych stated (March 9, 2010) that “Ukraine will continue to consider the Ukrainian language as the only state language.”

CIS sporting events

At the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, its sports teams were invited to or qualified for various sporting events in 1992. The united CIS team competed at the winter Olympic Games and the 1992 Summer Olympics, and the CIS football team participated in Euro 1992. The CIS field hockey team played several friendlies in January 1992 and made its last public appearance in 1992 at the Russian Government Cup, where it also played against the new Russian national bandy team. The 1991-1992 Soviet Union Bandy Championship was renamed the CIS Championship. Since then, members of the CIS have competed against each other separately in international sports.

Economic indicators of the CIS countries

A countryPopulation (2012)GDP 2007 (USD)GDP 2012 (USD)GDP growth (2012)GDP per capita (2007)GDP per capita (2012)
Belarus9460000 45275738770 58215000000 4,3% 4656 6710
Kazakhstan16856000 104849915344 196642000000 5,2% 6805 11700
Kyrgyzstan5654800 3802570572 6197000000 0,8% 711 1100
Russia143369806 1.294.381.844.081 2.022.000.000.000 3,4% 9119 14240
Tajikistan8010000 2265340888 7263000000 2,1% 337 900
Uzbekistan29874600 22355214805 51622000000 4,1% 831 1800
General EurAsEC213223782 1.465.256.182.498 2.339.852.000.000 - 7077 9700
Azerbaijan9235100 33049426816 71043000000 3,8% 3829 7500
Georgia4585000 10172920422 15803000000 5,0% 2334 3400
Moldova3559500 4401137824 7589000000 4,4% 1200 2100
Ukraine45553000 142719009901 175174000000 0,2% 3083 3870
General GUAM62932500 186996463870 269609000000 - 2975 4200
Armenia3274300 9204496419 10551000000 2,1% 2996 3500
Turkmenistan5169660 7940143236 33466000000 6,9% 1595 6100
Grand total284598122 1.668.683.151.661 2.598.572.000.000 - 6005 7800

Data from the United Nations Statistics Division and the CIA

The capital is the most important city of the state, where the entire life of the country is concentrated. The highest bodies of state power, central institutions and departments are located here.

Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, is located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea and is one of the largest cities in Azerbaijan. In the center of Baku there is Old city, surrounded by fortress walls. It is very picturesque thanks to the labyrinth of narrow streets and ancient buildings, some of which date back to the 11th century. Modern Baku stretches far beyond the Old City, its new buildings rising on the hills along the Gulf of Baku. The city is an important cultural and educational center, where the basis of the economy is oil production and refining.

Yerevan is the capital of Armenia. In Russian transcription until 1936 - “Erivan”. Located on the left bank (along the Araks River) part of the Ararat Valley. Altitude: from 900 to 1300 m, part of the city is located on a volcanic plateau north of the Ararat Valley. In May 1918, Erivan became the capital of the Republic of Armenia. At the beginning of December 1920, Erivan was occupied by the Red Army; On February 18, 1921, as a result of a nationwide uprising, Soviet power was overthrown, but on April 2, the Red Army re-entered Yerevan, where Soviet power was established for 70 years.

Minsk is the capital of the Republic of Belarus (since 1919), the administrative center of the Minsk region and the Minsk region (while not being part of them), a hero city. The largest transport hub, political, economic, cultural and scientific center of the country. The city is located near the geographical center of the country and stands on the Svisloch River.

Astana (from Kazakh Astana - “capital”) is the capital of Kazakhstan with a population (as of February 1, 2008) of 604.8 thousand inhabitants (the second largest in the republic after Almaty). On behalf of the akim, in the period from November 5 - December 5, 2007. A recount of the population of Astana was carried out; according to preliminary data, the city’s population amounted to over 700 thousand people.

Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan and The largest city countries. It constitutes a special administrative unit. Population - 906 thousand inhabitants (2007). Unlike the southern regions of the republic, there is a high percentage of Russians and Russian-speaking people. The city is located in the north of the Kyrgyz Republic, in the Chu Valley, at the foothills of the Tien Shan, 40 km north of the Kyrgyz ridge, 25 km from the border with Kazakhstan.

Chisinau is the capital of the Republic of Moldova. The largest city of Moldova, its economic and cultural center, located in the center of the country on the Bull River. Chisinau has a special status in the administrative division of Moldova - it is a municipality. The municipality of Chisinau includes: the municipality of Chisinau itself, 6 cities (Singera, Durlesti, Vatra, Codru, Vadul lui Voda, Cricova) and 25 settlements, united into 13 communes (villages). Chisinau was first mentioned in a charter of 1436. It received city status in 1818, shortly after joining the Russian Empire. The population of the city with its suburbs as of 2008 is more than 785 thousand inhabitants.

Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation, a city of federal significance, the administrative center of the Central Federal District and the Moscow Region, a hero city. The largest city in Russia and Europe by population, the most important transport hub, as well as the political, economic, cultural and scientific center of the country. The city is served by international airports Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, 9 railway stations, 3 river ports (there are exits to the seas of the Atlantic and North basins Arctic Oceans). The metro has been operating in the capital since 1935.

Dushanbe is the capital of Tajikistan, the largest city, the political, cultural and economic center of the country. The population is 661.1 thousand people. Ethnic composition: Tajiks - 73.4%, Uzbeks - 20.1%, Russians - 5.1%, others - 2.4%. Dushanbe is located at 38° north latitude and 68° east longitude at an altitude of about 800 m above sea level in the densely populated Gissar Valley. Dushanbe has a distinct continental climate, with dry and hot summers and wet, cool winters.

Ashgabat, previously also Ashgabat and Poltoratsk - the capital of Turkmenistan, a separate administrative unit. With the declaration of independence, the authorities of Turkmenistan carried out a massive campaign of renaming and “Turkmenization” of the names of settlements. In this regard, in the Russian-language media of Turkmenistan (including on websites), the capital of Turkmenistan is called Ashgabat, since it is this form that most closely matches the original Turkmen name. The name of the city translated from Persian means “City of Love”.

Tashkent (Uzbek Toshkent, Toshkent) is the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the largest city in the country. Since the declaration of independence, most of the Russian-speaking population of Tashkent has emigrated to Russian Federation, Belarus, Ukraine, Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, Australia, United States of America, Canada, countries European Union, South Africa and others.

Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine, a hero city. Located on the Dnieper River. The city consists of 10 districts on the right and left banks of the Dnieper. The “General Plan for the Development of Kiev until 2020”, approved by the Kiev Council, provides for the expansion of the city, which will include the districts of the Kiev region: Baryshevsky, Borodyansky, Brovarsky, Vasylkivsky, Vyshgorodsky, Kiev-Svyatoshinsky, Makarovsky, Fastovsky, as well as a number of satellite cities, including Berezan, Boryspil, Brovary, Vasilkov, Vishnevoe, Irpen, Fastov.

According to information from the current charter of the organization, its members are the founding countries that signed and ratified the Agreement on the Creation of the CIS of December 8, 1991 and the Protocol to it (December 21 of the same year) by the time the charter was signed. And the current members of the organization are those countries that subsequently assumed the obligations prescribed in this charter.

Each new membership in the CIS must receive the approval of all other states already part of the organization.

Currently, 10 states are members of the Commonwealth:
- Azerbaijan;
- Armenia;
- Belarus;
- Kazakhstan;
- Moldova;
- Russia;
- Tajikistan;
- Turkmenistan (but with a special status);
- Uzbekistan.

Other states that were formerly part of the USSR have the following relations with the Commonwealth:
- at the summit on August 26, 2005, Turkmenistan announced its participation in the CIS as an associate member;
- Ukraine since March 19, 2014, according to the decision of the RNBO, is no longer a member of the Commonwealth;
- Georgia, previously former member CIS, withdrew from the organization on August 14, 2008, then (during the time of President Mikheil Saakashvili) the Georgian parliament unanimously decided to withdraw from the Commonwealth;
- Mongolia currently participates in the CIS as an independent observer.

Afghanistan, which was never part of the USSR, declared its desire to join the CIS in 2008 and is currently listed as an observer in the Commonwealth.

The goals pursued by the formation of the organization

The most important principle of the organization of the Commonwealth is that all its member countries are completely self-sufficient and independent. The CIS is not a separate state and does not have supranational powers.

The organizational goals of the CIS include:
- more dense states in political, economic, environmental, humanitarian, cultural and other areas;
- ensuring guaranteed rights and freedoms of people living in the CIS;
- cooperation in the field of peace and security on the planet, as well as the achievement of general complete disarmament;
- provision of legal assistance;
- resolution of disputes on a peaceful basis.

The highest body regulating the activities of the CIS is the Council of Heads of State, in which each member country has its own representative. It meets twice a year, with Council members coordinating future cooperation and activities.

(CIS) is an international organization founded in 1991 that does not have supranational powers. The CIS includes 11 of the 15 former union republics of the USSR as participants.

Instructions

The reason for the appearance of this organization in the international legal field is the collapse of the USSR and in its space 15 new sovereign states, closely connected in the political, economic, and humanitarian spheres, due to the existence of centuries within one. The deep integration of the republics predetermined the objective interest of new subjects of international law in cooperation in various fields, politics, culture on the basis of equal cooperation and respect for each other’s sovereignty.

The CIS was founded on 8 1991, when the heads of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus signed the so-called. The “Belovezhskaya Agreement”, the text of which stated the abolition of the Soviet Union and the formation on its basis of a new form of interstate cooperation of the former Soviet republics. This document is the “Agreement on the Establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States,” and by 1994, 8 more states – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – had ratified it and joined the CIS.

On December 21, 1991, the heads of 11 who attended the Alma-Ata summit signed a declaration on the goals and principles of the CIS and a protocol to the agreement on the creation of the CIS. In 1993, the CIS Charter was adopted in Minsk, the main legal document of the organization regulating it. According to Art. 7. of this charter, the CIS participants are divided into founding states and member states of the Commonwealth. The founders of the CIS are the countries that ratified the agreement on its creation dated December 8, 1991 and the protocol to the agreement dated December 21, 1991. The member states of the CIS are those of its founders that accepted the obligations of the charter. The Charter was ratified by 10 of the 12 CIS members, with the exception of Ukraine and Turkmenistan.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania initially refused to participate in the CIS, choosing integration. Ukraine, being one of the co-founders and participant of the CIS, refused to ratify the CIS charter, and is not legally a member of the commonwealth. In 2009, under the influence of events in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgia withdrew from membership in the CIS.

Thus, as of 2014, 11 states are members of the CIS: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. All of the above states are members of the CIS, except Turkmenistan and Ukraine.

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