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ABOUT COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was created in December 1991. In the adopted Declaration the participants of the Commonwealth declared their interaction on the basis of sovereign equality. At present the CIS unites: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. In September 1993 the Heads of the CIS States signed an Agreement on the creation of Economic Union to form common economic space grounded on free movement of goods, services, labour force, capital; to elaborate coordinated monetary, tax, price, customs, external economic policy; to bring together methods of regulating economic activity and create favourable conditions for the development of direct production relations. In order to facilitate further integration the Agreement on deepening of integration in economic and humanitarian field of four countries (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia) and Agreement on creation of Commonwealth of Sovereign Republics (Belarus and Russia) with creation of corresponding coordinating bodies were signed in 1995. In February 1999 by the decision of the Interstate Council of four countries (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia) the Republic of Tajikistan was recognized as participant of the customs union enjoying full rights. In October 2000 the Heads of five countries (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan) signed an Agreement on creation of Eurasian Economic Community. At present Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine have the status of the observer under EAEC. In October 2005 Uzbekistan made the statement to join this organization. In September 2003 four countries - Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine signed an Agreement on Formation of CES (Common Economic Space). Integration of the countries in the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States is executed through its coordinating institutions (charter bodies, executive bodies and the bodies of branch cooperation of the CIS). Charter Bodies of the CIS: Council of the Heads of States Council of the Heads of Governments Council of Foreign Ministers Council of Defense Ministers Council of Commanders-in-Chief of Frontier Troops Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Economic Court Executive Bodies of the CIS: Economic Council

Council of Permanent Plenipotentiary Representatives of the States-Participants of the Commonwealth under Charter and Other Bodies of the Commonwealth Executive Committee Bodies of Branch Cooperation

Anti -Terrorist Center Interstate Bank Interstate Statistical Committee Interstate Council on Standardization Metrology and Certification Interstate Council on Emergency Situation of Natural and Anthropogenic Character Interstate Council on Antimonopoly Policy Coordinating council of the states-participants of the CIS on Informatization under the Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications Electric Energy Council Interstate Council on Aviation and Air Space Use Council of the Heads of Statistical Services of the States-Participants of the Commonwealth Council of the Heads of Customs Services of the States-Participants of the Commonwealth