CIS official: Bleak predictions on ex-Soviet bloc's future unfounded
Gloomy predictions regarding the future of the former Soviet bloc CIS are unfounded, Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev said at an event in Baku on Thursday.
"Various meetings and forums are held every day on the territory of the CIS to strengthen the integration and cooperation," Lebedev said during a press conference at the V Baku International Banking Conference of CIS member states.
According to him, despite some outstanding problems and some developments, such as the withdrawal of Georgia from the CIS, as well as the global economic crisis, the CIS is improving, developing and strengthening.
"In addition, steps are being taken to promote cooperation among the countries of the Commonwealth in the financial and banking sector, and the next meeting on this issue will be held next year in Belarus. One of such events is [also] the conference of the Commission for Economic Issues," Lebedev said.
Lebedev said that the anniversary session of the summit of CIS leaders due in early December in Ashgabat will highlight not only the need of maintaining the CIS, but also its further development and strengthening.
"The existence of some problems does not mean that the CIS has no future," Lebedev added.