The meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Heads of State Council, and the Caspian Ecological Summit took place in Turkmenistan Oct.8-10, at the Caspian resort center Avaza, near the port of Turkmenbashi. It was the 35th CIS anniversary for the nine-nation gathering, attended also by guest nation Iran, and the leaders had many bilateral meetings. (The CIS today includes: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian proposed that a CIS+1, adding Iran, would benefit all involved.

President Putin’s address to the CIS Council of Heads of State included stress on how the CIS functions as an “authoritative regional integration structure,” that supports “economic, social, cultural and humanitarian ties developed by our peoples over centuries.” He elaborated on the increase in the volume of trade, and the use of national currencies in trade transactions. This is so, despite Western sanctions of all kinds.

Strengthening economic ties was a theme throughout heads-of-state speeches at the CIS. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko yesterday addressed this point, stressing the independence and unity involved.