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Author : S. Lebedev
Chairman of the Executive Committee and Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS)
I have often heard the CIS mentioned as an important instrument of
civilized divorce. One can agree with this because centrifugal tendencies
certainly prevailed in the early days of the CIS. The states tended to
move away from each other in their desire to get rid of the center, and
this unfortunately led to conflicts in the course of disputes over territo-
ries and borders, as in Tajikistan, the South Caucasus and Transnistria.
It was necessary to somehow extinguish these conflicts and find peaceful
solutions to the disputes. And the CIS was able to resolve these prob-
lems in the early stages of its existence. But when these conflicts were
defused, many other problems associated with the civilized divorce of
the former Soviet republics came to the fore. These included mutual
settlements, primarily in the economic sphere; the need to address transportation, energy supply
and communication problems; and the existence of many social problems such as payment of pen-
sions and pension arrears to citizens of the former Soviet Union (FSU), provision of healthcare
services, mutual recognition of diplomas, etc.
The CIS is in a state of permanent reform. There is no need for any kind of radical reform, because
keeping pace with the times is an objective necessity for any organization.
Real life makes us find common ground for cooperation and address specific problems related to
track gauge, the use of railroad cars, etc. There are quite good projects in the peaceful use of nuclear
energy. We have a CIS commission in this area, whose work is also quite effective.
The current leadership of Uzbekistan, as represented by acting head of state Shavkat Mirziyoyev,
has confirmed the continuity of the policy of maintaining good relations with its neighbors and its
membership of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The Executive Committee has a staff of 220. Due to financial difficulties, we have somewhat re-
duced - I hope temporarily - the number of employees (by 10%). They come from almost all coun-
tries of the Commonwealth. It is a tight-knit international team of high-class experts.
Most of the staffers (experts) are citizens of Russia and Belarus, as well as representatives of other
countries living in Moscow or Minsk. At the same time, 24 positions - the managing staff of the
CIS Executive Committee - are filled according to quotas by people sent from the capitals of CIS
states.
The sectoral councils publish quite a few journals and bulletins. The Council of Interior Ministers,
for example, publishes a journal called Sodruzhestvo (The Commonwealth). The Council of Com-
manders of Border Troops, the Interstate Statistical Committee, and the Coordinating Council of
Prosecutors General issue their own bulletins. But probably the most extensive and detailed infor-
mation about our work is available on the CIS portal (www.ecis.info) and the website of the CIS
Executive Committee (www.cis.minsk.by).
The 25th Anniversary of the CIS: We Are Destined to Be Together