President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdymukhamedov participated in the meeting of the Council of the Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) held in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan said in its press release.
The summit, chaired by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, was also attended by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan.
The agenda of this summit covered topical issues affecting all areas of integration in the CIS, the adoption of appropriate decisions on improving the mechanisms of interaction within the CIS.
The economy was named among key aspects of interaction. In this context, it was reported that a draft agreement on free trade in services was being prepared for signing.
Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the Executive Committee - CIS Executive Secretary Sergey Lebedev informed that Kyrgyzstan has taken over the chairmanship of the Council of CIS Heads of State, according to the media reports.
The Heads of State decided to rename the post of CIS Executive Secretary to Secretary General. Sergei Lebedev was elected to the post of CIS Secretary General.
At the end of the meeting, the Heads of State signed a statement on the development of cooperation in the field of culture. They also adopted a number of documents aimed at further development of the Commonwealth.
The next CIS summit will take place on October 13, 2023 in the capital of Kyrgyzstan Bishkek.