Meetings of the leaders of the CIS member states
On 18-19 September 2003 in Yalta meetings of the Council of Heads of State, Council of Heads of
Government and Council of Foreign Ministers took place.
The Yalta Summit focused on the issues of further development of interaction between the CIS member states in economic sphere, completion of establishment of a free trade zone with gradual advancement to a single economic space by means of expanding integration. Vital issues of cooperation in social, humanitarian, military and other spheres of the Commonwealth countries' interaction were also considered.
The meetings of heads of states and heads of governments were preceded by the session of the Council of Foreign Ministers. Mr.K.I.Grishchenko, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, was elected to preside at the Council of Foreign Ministers.
At he beginning of the meeting Mr. Antonio Maria Costa, UN Under-Secretary-General, Executive
Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime addressed the participants. He noted that the fruitful cooperation between the UN Office and the Commonwealth of Independent States could well contribute to counteracting this threat. The Yalta Summit gives a great opportunity to place the issue on such cooperation at the level of the leaders of all CIS countries.
The Council of Foreign Ministers addressed the Council of Heads of State with a proposal to hear Mr. Costa's information.
The leaders of the foreign offices adopted the Methodology for elaborating pilot international legal
instruments of the CIS and the Rules of procedures for preparation to and conduct of ad-hoc expert
groups on elaboration of the Commonwealth's draft documents, they also discussed a number of other issues. The Council of Foreign Ministers considered altogether more then 20 draft documents, half of which were submitted for further consideration by the Council of Heads of Government and Council of Heads of State.
The next meeting of the Council of Foreign Minister was scheduled to be held on 26 March 2003 in
Minsk.
In the afternoon of 18 September the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government was held. It was presided by the Chairman of the Council of Heads of Government, Prime Minister of Kyrgyz Republic Mr. N.T.Tanayev.
The heads of governments signed the Agreement on the CIS member states' interaction in the field of international shipments by cargo tracks, Memorandum on cooperation in the field of international
transport corridors, Declaration on provision of security on transport in the Commonwealth member
states, they also decided to establish a Council of heads of governmental organs of the Commonwealth member states for regulating securities' market and adopted the provisions on the said Council.
They also introduced supplements and amendments to the Agreement of 12 March 1993 on mutual
recognition of rights to reduced transport rates for invalids and participants of the Great Patriotic War, and individuals enjoying similar status.
The Council of Heads of Government adopted the Concept for cooperation between the Commonwealth member states in the field of the population's health protection.
The prime ministers discussed a number of other problems. Altogether 32 documents were signed at the meeting of the Council.
The Council of Heads of Government decided to hold its next meeting on 16 April 2004 in Kyrgyz
Republic.
On 19 September the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth was held. It was opened and presided by the Chairman of the Council of Heads of State, President of the Ukraine,
