Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 10 December 2020, within the framework of the chairmanship of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the Commonwealth of Independent States, a regular meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States was held in the format of a video conference.

The event was chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov.

The meeting was attended by the heads of the foreign ministries of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, as well as the Chairman of the Executive Committee - CIS Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev.

The meeting participants exchanged views on topical issues of interaction within the CIS and the international agenda, and also discussed a number of organizational issues.

In his speech, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov noted the positive results of the chairmanship of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the CIS, including the successful implementation of almost all planned events, the adoption of a number of important documents defining the future directions of cooperation between the participating states and the further development of the Organization. Among them, the update of the Concept for the further development of the CIS, the adoption of the Strategy for the Economic Development of the Commonwealth until 2030 and 9 program documents in the areas of military and border cooperation, innovation, transport, culture and sports, tourism and youth.

The participants in the meeting were informed about the importance of the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to develop, under the auspices of the UN, an International Code on Voluntary Commitments of States during a Pandemic. It was emphasized that this proposal can create a conceptual and legal basis for building a reliable system of collective response to crisis phenomena.

It was noted that in the context of the processes taking place in the world associated with the pandemic and other global challenges, the Commonwealth confirms its important role in the economic and social development of the participating states, strengthening comprehensive cooperation between them.

Following the meeting, 12 decisions and documents were adopted in various areas of cooperation. In particular, the Plan of multi-level inter-ministerial consultations within the CIS for 2021 was approved, the distribution of quota posts among the participating states in the CIS Executive Committee for the next three-year period was agreed, etc.

A decision was made to hold the next meeting of the Council of CIS Foreign Ministers in April 2021 in the Russian Federation.