Lavrov Speaks of Russia’s CIS Policy

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told journalists on August 23 that Russia will build its relations with the countries of Commonwealth of Independent States based on “international norms and law,” RIA Novosti news agency reported.

A session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was held in Moscow on August 23 under the chairmanship of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze represented the Georgian side at the meeting. 
 
Lavrov, speaking with reporters, commented on the statement of the unnamed high-ranking source in the Kremlin reported by the Russian news agencies that Russia plans to change its policy towards the CIS countries “but more so with the US and the EU.”
 
“All CIS countries think that we should build relations in the frames of the CIS based on international norms and law – the approach that was stressed at today’s session of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers… And we are thinking of moving in this direction,” Lavrov said.

A summit of CIS leaders is planned for August 26 in Kazan, Russia. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili will participate in this summit. Reportedly, a bilateral meeting between Saakashvili and Russian President Vladimir Putin is planned on the sidelines of the summit.

Sergey Lavrov said that a list of issues to be discussed by the CIS leaders at the summit in Kazan were prepared at the meeting in Moscow of CIS Foreign Ministers. These issues also include the reformation of the CIS.

“It has been known for a long time that Russia would propose CIS reforms, but know we are talking about a collective product… No one is fully satisfied. The process of reaching a compromise should be based on taking into consideration the interests of all the parties,” Lavrov said, as quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency.

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