Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

Georgia Finalizes Withdrawal From CIS
August 18, 2009

(RFE/RL) -- Georgia has completed the process of withdrawing from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the 18-year-old regional grouping of former Soviet republics.

It's the final step in a process that began one year ago, during the Russia-Georgia war.

It was August 12, 2008, and the battle for Tskhinvali, the capital of the breakaway region of South Ossetia, was just ending. Russian forces were in control of the city, and Russian troops and armor had entered even undisputed Georgian territory.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili announced his intention to withdraw Georgia from the CIS, which he blamed for failing to prevent the conflict.

"We certainly have to leave the CIS," he said. "The CIS totally failed as an international organization. It is some kind of post-Soviet kind of thing, that basically could not do anything to prevent this tragedy from happening. And, you know, by leaving the CIS, we are giving final [goodbyes] to the Soviet Union."

The CIS was founded in 1991 as a post-Soviet regional grouping that ultimately brought together all but three of the former Soviet republics.

Through the years, the group has been seen as an instrument for Moscow to maintain its influence over the former Soviet space. The body, however, is not always viewed as well-managed or efficient, and Saakashvili's announcement last year stirred debate about the group's relevance.

New Agreements Pledged

Announcing the completion of the withdrawal process today, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David Jalagania told journalists that Georgia will remain party to several CIS agreements, such as those relating to free trade and visa-free travel within the CIS.

Georgia will also forge a number of bilateral agreements with its former CIS partners. Georgian officials have said that it will make a priority of signing new agreements with its two main economic partners, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

Georgian political analyst Tornike Sharashenidze said it was necessary to withdraw from the CIS after Russia chose to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and a second Georgian breakaway, Abkhazia.

"It is unthinkable to stay within an organization in which a leading member does not respect your territorial integrity," Sharashenidze said. "Remaining in the CIS would have meant our capitulation, and acceptance of the reality created by Russia. We left in a timely and correct manner. Had we left before -- this probably would have been perceived as a confrontational and provocative gesture."

Russia's initial reaction to the formal Georgian withdrawal has been muted.

The Foreign Ministry in Moscow said it's the sovereign right of any country to join or leave whichever organization it wants. But at the same time, the ministry suggested that it might be the Georgian people who suffer most from this decision.

More direct criticism came from the first deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee, Leonid Slutsky. The French news agency AFP quotes him as saying that Georgia's secession from the CIS is "imprudent."

He said the move will only cause practical difficulties for the Georgian people, without bringing any political advantage.

Georgia's withdrawal leaves 11 countries in the CIS -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

RFE/RL correspondent Breffni O'Rourke contributed to this story.


Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/Georgia_Finalizes_Withdrawal_From_CIS/1802284.html

Copyright (c) 2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

The format of the CIS - partnership
31/08/2009

In the development of multilateral military cooperation in the CIS space occupies a special place activities of the Joint Chiefs of Armed Forces of the States - participants of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS Joint Chiefs of Staff Sun GU). At the next meeting of this working body of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Commonwealth, held recently in Moscow, was elected chairman of the Chief of General Staff of the RF Armed Forces - First Deputy Defense Minister, Army General Nikolai Makarov. Answering the questions of "Military-Industrial Courier, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Sun GU CIS spoke about the role of master (main) staffs of the armed forces of Commonwealth countries in promoting multi-stakeholder partnerships and led the integration of some of the results of joint work.

- Nikolay E. how to build a system of multilateral military cooperation in the format of the Commonwealth of Independent States?

- Today in the CIS is successfully developing formatsinto various levels and interaction. The format of the Commonwealth became the basis of a partnership model. Within its framework, there is a real opportunity to develop successfully is a partnership between all States of the Commonwealth and thus even overcome the existing problems in bilateral and regional relations. This format allows the flexibility to take into account the national interests of each country in the formation of an overall development strategy of the CIS and the strengthening of its security - based not only on military means and methods to achieve their goals. Thus, each State, relying on their own priorities, to determine the extent of their participation in various components of a multilateral military cooperation, which is a key principle of cooperation in the CIS format.

A natural complement to such a format of interaction of multilateral regional cooperation serves the Commonwealth to take account of the specific alliance established between a number of states - participants of CIS. In the framework of regional cooperation is formed over the hard mechanism to implement mutual obligations, the deepening of collective security based on military priorities to meet emerging challenges.

- In the course of the next committee meeting between the participants exchanged views on "modern look of the armies of the XXI century: experience and problems of military construction - members of CIS. Role and Place of Joint Chiefs of Staff Sun GU CIS in conjunction general (main) staffs. What is the relevance of the theme?

- A good tradition of meetings held by the leaders of military control bodies of the States - participants of CIS was the practice of exchange of views on critical issues of military building and multilateral military cooperation of the Commonwealth of common interest. Given this was formulated and the current theme of the meeting held in the framework of the Joint Chiefs of the Round Table. She, as has already heard the question, is dedicated to the modern look of the armies of the XXI century: experience and problems of military construction - the CIS, as well as the role and place of Joint Chiefs of Staff Sun GU CIS in conjunction general (main) staffs. To demonstrate the relevance, must identify the general background of the topic.

Recent developments taking place in the world, clearly indicate that the security of the state is largely determined by the quality of its military component. In this regard, the requirements for VS, forced to objectively evaluate their condition and take appropriate comprehensive measures to resolve the Army to a qualitatively new options that adequately respond not only to existing but also projected threats and challenges. Not bypassed this process and the state of the Commonwealth.

In connection with this topic of our exchange of views and was devoted to various aspects of the current state and prospects of development of the armed forces of states - participants of CIS, the role of multilateral military cooperation in enhancing the effectiveness of national and common security.

The peculiarity of the current state of the armed forces of the countries - participants of CIS in the fact that their development is determined by the conceptual approaches taken in each of the Commonwealth, as well as the influence of global and regional processes. Today, significant adjustments to the process of making Sun down in the States of socio-economic, demographic situation and other circumstances.

Indisputable is the fact of interconnectedness of the national security of the Commonwealth. This should be perceived by us as a unique positive element of a common security system and integrated into practical activities of military command and control states - members of CIS.

- How do you assess the outcome of the discussion and the results of the meeting of the Joint Chiefs as a whole?

- Issues considered during the exchange of views on "modern look of the armies of the XXI century ..." and the discussions held during their discussion, were the logical continuation of the meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the armed forces of states - participants of CIS. The results in general can be regarded as productive.

I would like to pay special attention to the continuing interest of - of the Commonwealth of Independent States in improving the functioning of the Joint Chiefs as a crucial collective body designed to promote closer relations and close cooperation between general (main) staffs of the armed forces on common topical issues of military development and military cooperation.

- Nikolay E., what is the role of the Joint Chiefs in the development of a broad partnership?

- In an exchange of views at the last meeting we discussed the prospects of military cooperation, identified the range of issues of mutual interest. Incidentally, we once again clarified the place and role of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sun GU CIS in the system of multilateral military cooperation of the Commonwealth.

During the seventeen years already, I would say the nerve center of multilateral military cooperation within the CIS Council of Defense Ministers in favor of States - members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS SMO), led today by the Minister of Defense of Russia, Anatoly Serdyukov Eduardovich. QS CIS - organ of the Commonwealth Heads of Government on matters of military policy and military construction. Due to the consistent work of the Council of Ministers of Defense created a system of its working bodies, providing a broad and complex development of military cooperation between CIS states on a multilateral basis.

In this system, Joint Chiefs of Staff of the armed forces of states - members of the Commonwealth of Independent States has a special place in the examination, approval, peer review and harmonization of documents by introducing them to the Council of Defense Ministers and senior officials of the CIS, to prepare proposals on major issues of military cooperation.

Joint Chiefs of Staff actually serves a key element in the development of the conceptual foundations for the development and improvement of the military security of the CIS, the creation of a model of multilateral military cooperation, harmonization of the efforts of States to develop its national armed forces. He has a leading role in identifying and validating the most promising areas of cooperation in military fields, filling them with concrete meaning and content planning in the Armed Forces of the Commonwealth of joint activities of mutual interest.

In addition, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sun GU CIS is the information-analytical and scientific-methodical center and chief of general staffs on the reform of the national army, strengthening security and co-development of multilateral military cooperation.

- What is the practical component in the work of the Joint Chiefs of Sun - the Commonwealth of Independent States?

- The role of the Joint Chiefs of Staff determined not only by elaborating the theoretical foundations of building a system of military security of the Commonwealth, but also to specific actions for their implementation.

First of all it concerns the establishment of joint (joint) military systems, this allows to ensure implementation of national and common interests of the Commonwealth. To have successful include unified air defense system of CIS countries, the system of national identification "Password"; system of organization of covert liaison and others in the operation involving 8 to 10 Commonwealth countries.

Joint Chiefs of Staff continues to work on the creation of other joint systems. As an example, I can bring together (united) system of the Armed Forces of the CIS. The question of the second stage of its establishment, we have discussed in the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the meeting. Ibid collectively addressed the issue on the creation of a unified geographic information system for military use for the armed forces of the Commonwealth.

Formed in the present set of documents in the short term will begin to build an integrated system of monitoring and evaluation of radiation, chemical and biological environment ministries of defense of the commonwealth. The process of harmonization of air traffic - a joint safety. We are actively cooperating in the field of engineering activities of the armed forces of CIS countries.

Vast field of Joint Chiefs of Staff are the issues of joint military training units, labor cooperation - with the CIS antiterrorist center - to counter terrorism, peacekeeping operations. I note that the activities of CIS peacekeepers in Tajikistan and Abkhazia objectively deserves the highest praise.

Time was when the CIS was the initiator of the annual joint command-staff and operational-tactical exercises with the military authorities, forces and the CIS countries. Today is the joint work on deepening military integration. For example, in July - September this year will be regular joint training exercises "Combat Commonwealth-2009" - live firing troops (forces), defense (Air Force and Air Defense), State of the Commonwealth, members of the defense system the United States - CIS (OS CIS Air Defense ).

Thus, the Joint Chiefs of Staff should be regarded as a battery of ideas, opinions and proposals from the general (main) staffs of the armed forces of the Commonwealth on joint operations, mobilization, training of formations and units of the national armed forces, which allows you to use the experience already gained in the States.

- What are the common features of the new image of the armed forces of the CIS countries?

- By the beginning of the new millennium in the Commonwealth actually ended the phase of development of the national armed forces. Today, the process of improving the regulatory framework of their activities, optimization of organizational structure and functioning in accordance with current and future requirements.

The similarity of the factors affecting the security of States, as well as the challenges faced by their armed forces, defines the general features of the new look of the armies of the Commonwealth. Chief among them - compact size, mobility, high efficiency. These components correspond to the world experience, current and projected military-political realities and possibilities of.

With all the variety and complexity of the practical steps to optimize the national armed forces experience the work already done in most Commonwealth countries, indicates that it ultimately boils down to solving a series of interrelated tasks. Such as:

- Clarification of the armed forces of destiny, all their structural elements, starting with the highest bodies of military administration, operational and strategic alliances, and ending with specific officials;

- Streamlining of the structure, composition, size of armed forces in general and at all levels, types, types of troops in accordance with the adjusted tasks and functions;

- Modernization of existing models of weapons and military technology (IWT) and the provision of troops and forces of modern types of armaments and military equipment;

- Optimization of the order, repair and modernization of IWT;

- Improvement of logistic support;

- Establishment of scientific, engineering, technical and production grazed across the spectrum of interests of the armed forces;

- Optimization of the system of training and military education, research organizations and testing sites;

strengthening the socio-legal protection of military personnel, persons discharged from military service and their families.

Give a simple example. Armed Forces of Russia in accordance with the guidance of the country's decision in 2008 to take the reform process, which is conducted in strict compliance with normative legal documents by the cardinal comprehensive implementation of a number of issues which come to the fore the following five major tasks.

Decision armed forces of Russia the problems of social power, among which the principal is to ensure the necessary level of social protection of servicemen and their families, the fulfillment of state obligations in respect of the people laid off and already discharged from military service.

Establishment by 2012 in the Armed Forces only compounds and units of permanent combat readiness, which will adequately and timely respond to the rapidly developing modern conflicts and local wars.

Formation of a new system of military education and military knowledge, meet the modern requirements of military art.

Reducing the number of military units and formations, getting rid of parts of the incomplete structure, optimization of the central apparatus of the Ministry of Defense of Russia. The number of army and navy will be 1 million people, but will be eliminated disparity between the number of officers and men.

Transition to the new structure will improve efficiency and effectiveness of command and control solutions to their problems.

- Which areas of partner integration were discussed at the last meeting of chiefs of general staffs and the principal?

- Great interest for the States - the CIS member states is complex - issues related to improving the quality parameters of troops and forces at the expense of upgrading its network and supply the newest models of weapons and military equipment. Here in the Commonwealth there is some groundwork, which allows serious consideration, the use of their scientific and military-industrial potential for the benefit of all.

In this regard, there have been positive developments in military-technical committee, also acting on an interim basis at the Council of Defense Ministers of CIS. However, a considerable part of the issues relates to the competence of our Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Commonwealth countries have elements unique scientific, educational and material base, the creation of which is currently in the individual states is impossible or economically inefficient. Accounting for the interests of the military departments, the joint development of proposals for their use is the most important area of coordination of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Joint Chiefs of Staff has the necessary authority and capacity for interaction between military authorities of all levels and providing them with practical assistance in implementing the activities envisaged for the joint solution of common problems. This allows the system to improve the interaction between governments, promotes mutual understanding and trust at all levels between the armed forces of the Commonwealth.

An integral part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff supports coordination master (main) staffs to ensure the security of the CIS member states on the regional level, which allows more deeply consider the specific interests and a number of Commonwealth countries.

Makarov, Nikolay E.

Права на данный материал принадлежат Военно-промышленный курьер

Russia Facing Resistance With Allies On CIS's Southern Flank

October 09, 2009

By Bruce Pannier

Russia's relations with the three states that make up the southern flank of the Commonwealth Of Independent States -- Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan -- have suffered severe setbacks of late.

Uzbekistan has annoyed the Kremlin by scaling back its participation in Russian-led security organizations, and by passing a customs law that promises to heavily tax Russian companies involved in production-sharing agreements that deal with the export of Uzbek natural gas.

Tajikistan wants Russia to pay rent on military bases Kremlin forces have used since the closing days of World War II and recent incidents involving some of those Russian troops have angered Tajik communities.

Turkmenistan is unhappy with the state of its natural-gas dealings with Moscow and is awaiting the reopening of a key gas pipeline that exploded in early April and for which it blames Russia's Gazprom.

It came as only a mild surprise, then, to learn that the presidents of the three countries would not be attending an October 9 CIS summit in Chisinau, Moldova. They will be joining fellow Central Asian state Kazakhstan in sending lower-level delegations.

The absence of the Uzbek, Tajik, and Turkmen presidents has led to speculation that they may be sending a defiant message to Russia, which dominates the regional grouping, and has added to the pall already cast on the summit.

The decision not to attend by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev -- who is perhaps the biggest booster of the CIS, after Russia -- came as a complete surprise in Astana and his office offered no explanation for the move.

Georgia, which formally withdrew from the post-Soviet grouping this past summer, will not be represented at the summit.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reportedly has no plans on meeting on the sidelines of the summit with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, putting the spotlight on tensions between Moscow and Kyiv.

Troubles With Uzbekistan

Of the three states that make up the CIS's southern flank, Russia's biggest problem this year has been with Uzbekistan.

Uzbek President Islam Karimov, who has frequently missed CIS summits over the years, has long been known for resisting the encroachment of Russian influence and for his efforts to bolster his own country's regional influence.

The most glaring recent example of discord in the Uzbek-Russian relationship is Uzbekistan's abrupt reduction of participation in the Russian-led CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). During recent CSTO training exercises, Tashkent declined to send any troops.

Matthew Clements, Eurasia analyst at the London-based IHS Jane's Information Group, explains that Tashkent has not welcomed Moscow's plans to create a special CSTO counterterrorism force.

"We've seen it [Uzbekistan] very much take a back foot on the CSTO front, whereby Russian desires to create a regional rapid reaction force in Central Asia has been met with a very frosty reception by Uzbekistan, who have toned down the agreement that was signed earlier in the year," Clements says.

Clements refers to a CSTO rapid-reaction force agreement that Tashkent did sign in February. But Uzbekistan has since voiced objections to putting its troops under CSTO command, as fellow members (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan) have agreed to do. Tashkent’s most publicized worry is that its troops could be misused in resolving "frozen conflicts."

Clements noted in a recent interview that, aside from the CSTO, Uzbekistan is also scaling back participation in another multilateral organization heavily influenced by the Kremlin -- the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

"Indeed, just a couple of days ago, [Tashkent] announced it was going to sit out the upcoming SCO military exercises, both of which are pushed quite strongly by Russia as a way of maintaining its military influence in Central Asia," Clements says.

Curious Timing

Uzbekistan has also sent a stern trade message to Moscow. In late August, Uzbekistan’s parliament passed legislation imposing an excise tax of 25 percent on the customs costs of natural gas for "nonresident" participants in production-sharing agreements (PSA).

There are three PSAs dealing with Uzbekistan's energy sector -- all of them multimillion-dollar projects. In two, Uzbekistan's sole partner is Russia's LUKoil, while in the other LUKoil joins four Asian energy companies.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon's official reason for not attending the CIS summit is that he will be in Turkmenistan, where he will meet with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.

But the curious timing of the meeting -- during which the two presidents are expected to discuss Turkmen electricity supplies to Tajikistan, which has experienced power outages the last two winters -- highlights signs of a increasingly frosty mood in Dushanbe's dealings with Moscow.

Much has been made about the Tajikistan's approval this week of a law that dropped Russian as an official language in the country, while designating Tajik as the sole "language for interethnic communication."

The new law, which states that all official papers and education in the country should be conducted only in the Tajik language, prompted a Russian diplomat to warn this week that the law could negatively affect minorities in living in Tajikistan.

But a Russian military base in Tajikistan is a main source of tension.

Representing the best-trained and best-equipped fighting force in Central Asia, the Russian 201st Division has had a presence in Tajikistan for decades. It was of great comfort to the Tajik government during the 1992-97 Tajik civil war and when the Taliban started operating just across the Tajik border.

But seeing NATO and U.S. forces paying high rent prices for bases in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan needed for the Afghan war effort, and Russia paying rent for its military base in Kant, Kyrgyzstan, Dushanbe is setting terms for the 201st Division's continued use of its base, including the payment of rent.

'Please Pay For It'

Zafar Mirzoev, an independent Tajik political analyst, explained in an interview with RFE/RL's Tajik Service the mindset behind Dushanbe's demands.

"I think Russia has no choice but to accept the conditions put forward by our government," Mirzoev says. "When you see the forces of NATO increasing -- doubling, tripling -- on the opposite side of theAmu-Darya...Russia wants to maintain its presence and strengthen it. And we should say, 'Brother, if you want to use [our soil], please pay for it.' "

The rent demand comes at an especially sensitive time for the 201st. In September, two of the division's soldiers killed a taxi driver and dumped his body in a Tajik river. The soldiers had reportedly argued earlier with a different taxi driver and allegedly decided to get revenge on any taxi driver.

Just days later, a truck from the 201st collided with a minibus. Five people were killed in the crash, including three civilians, but soldiers of the 201st are not subject to Tajik law and thus cannot be prosecuted. Any punishment handed down to the soldiers involved will be determined by the division's Russian command.

Turkmenistan is not a full member of the CIS, having "associate member" status, but its president's absence at the summit is notable.

As he hosts his Tajik counterpart, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov will also be awaiting the resolution of a number of issues with Moscow.

Ashgabat and Russia are experiencing severe problems related to their natural-gas agreements. Turkmenistan usually supplies between 40 to 50 billion cubic meters of gas to Russia annually.

Last year, when world gas prices hit record highs, Russia's Gazprom moved to corner the Central Asian gas market, promising to pay the Central Asians "European prices." European prices for gas when contracts were signed exceeded $300 per 1,000 cubic meters. Now the price is somewhere around $200 and falling, prompting Gazprom to advise the Central Asians to lower their selling prices.

Turkmenistan strongly disagreed. During subsequent and touchy price negotiations, an explosion along the gas pipeline carrying Turkmen gas to Russia halted Turkmen exports.

Russia blamed Turkmenistan's aged pipeline system for the early April explosion. But the Turkmen government blamed Gazprom, saying the Russian energy giant had reduced the flow of gas in Russia without informing Turkmenistan. Gas continued to fill the pipeline until it exploded due to the pressure, according to the Turkmen argument.

Gazprom officials now say the pipeline might start working again at the end of October or early November. But Berdymukhammedov might be waiting to see those promises realized before keeping close company with the Russian president.

Berdymukhammedov recently extended an invitation to Medvedev to visit Turkmenistan in December, officially for the opening of a Russian school there. Perhaps by then the contentious energy issues will be resolved.


Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Facing_Resistance_With_Allies_On_CISs_Southern_Flank/1847880.html

Copyright (c) 2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Gawd... not Radio Free Monkey Europe... bunch of drama queens.

well i know Vlad.. I am just trying to gather information from all sides...

CIS defense ministers to meet in Ukraine

RIA Novosti

11:46 20/10/2010

MOSCOW, October 20 (RIA Novosti) - A CIS defense ministers meeting will be held on Wednesday in Crimea, Ukraine, the Russian defense minister's press secretary said.

The meeting will be headed by Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov.

Delegations from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine are expected to take part in the meeting.

"According to the agenda of the meeting, it is planned that over 20 issues of cooperation between military departments of the Commonwealth State will be discussed," Irina Kovalchuk said.

The ministers will analyze the results of implementing of a military cooperation concept between CIS countries up to 2010 and results of work of the of CIS Defense Ministers Council working bodies in 2010.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2010/10/mil-101020-rianovosti03.htm

Ukraine to boost military cooperation with Russia in 2011

Ukraine plans to expand its cooperation with Russia in the military sphere, Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Hryhoriy Pedchenko said on Saturday.

He said the agreement was reached at the meeting with his Russian counterpart, Army Gen. Nikolai Makarov, in Brussels on January 27.

Pedchenko said Ukraine and Russia will hold a series of command-staff exercises and tactical maneuvers in 2011.
"We have considerably expanded our military cooperation. If last year we had 40 such exercises, this year we will have 81. This is a great step forward," Pedchenko was quoted by UNIAN agency as saying.

He said such cooperation is very important for Ukraine as Russia has great experience in this sphere.
"They have many well trained officers, specialists and this is very important for us," he said.

Well that's awesome ! now they just need to cooperate with Russia in more than one sphere =)

The Commonwealth of Independent States interior ministers have agreed on a draft strategy for fighting cyber crime, Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev said on Friday.

“These sorts of crimes tend to be international, which is why we should work together to fight them,” Nurgaliyev said after a meeting of the Council of CIS Interior Ministers in Yerevan, Armenia.

The draft was prepared by Belarus and approved by the other council members. It will now be sent for approval to the CIS leaders.

Alexei Moshkov, the head of the special technical project office at the Russian Interior Ministry, said that the main goal was to make this document more practical. “We think it should contain some practical measures for keeping the national information space from being used for destructive political and social means,” Moshkov said.

“This sort of document will help address the problem and bring together all interested parties. The high level at which it is being discussed will provide a strong impetus for the development of a global model for fighting cyber crime”, Moshkov added.

http://www.en.ria.ru/world/20111014/167692047.html

Russia to Join Slavic Commonwealth Military Drills

RIA Novosti

19:19 07/03/2012

MOSCOW, March 7 (RIA Novosti) - A unit of the Russian Armed Forces will take part in joint military drills with Ukraine and Belarus in September 2012, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Wednesday.

“A Russian motorized infantry company will take part in the Slavic Commonwealth – 2012 drills in Ukraine,” Serdyukov said after a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Salamatin in Moscow.

The Slavic Commonwealth – 2012 tactical drills will also involve brigade-size units from Ukraine and Belarus.

Serdyukov said Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and the Ukrainian Navy will hold Fairway of Peace 2012 exercises in May to practice joint peacekeeping missions at sea.

The Black Sea Fleet is stationed on Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula under a lease agreement with Ukraine. On April 21, 2010, Moscow and Kiev signed a deal extending the lease on the fleet's base in Sevastopol for 25 years after the current lease expires in 2017.


http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2012/russia-120307-rianovosti01.htm

Does CIS means CSTO ?

Why Uzbekistan , Azerbaijan(nagarno kabakh conflict) ,Turkmenistan aint there ? Ukraine and Georgia had ameeucan revolutions so they arent expected ofcourse . US target is to disintegrate csto but to maintain nato .