CIS foreign ministers to discuss tourism cooperation strategy

MINSK, 12 August (BelTA) – Agendas are currently compiled for the forthcoming meetings of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council and the CIS Heads of State Council that are due in Minsk on 24-25 October, BelTA learnt from the information and analysis department of the CIS Executive Committee.

According to plenipotentiary permanent representative of Belarus to the statutory and other bodies of the CIS Vasily Pugachev, the draft agenda of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council comprises 20 draft documents. Among other things the CIS foreign ministers are expected to discuss a strategy to develop tourism cooperation through 2020.

“Many draft documents included into the draft agenda of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council have been considered and coordinated by the CIS groups of experts and are currently undergoing interstate coordination,” Vasily Pugachev said.

As for some documents, their coordination should be completed by 16 August. Among them are the documents regarding the announcement of the year 2015 the Year of the Veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 in the Commonwealth of Independent States and the action plan to prepare and celebrate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, Vasily Pugachev added.

The draft agenda of the CIS Heads of State Council meeting includes 18 issues that cover various areas of integration cooperation in the CIS.

Some of them have been approved by the CIS Foreign Ministers Council: the announcement of the year of 2014 the Year of Tourism in the CIS, the CIS cooperation concept against cybercrimes, the agreement concerning the order of forming and using joint groups of experts of the border agencies for rapid response to security threats at the external borders of the CIS member states.

“A number of issues will be discussed at the meeting of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council on 24 October, ahead of the CIS Heads of State Council: programs of joint measures against crime, terrorism and other violent manifestations of extremism, illegal traffic of drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, and trafficking in human beings for 2014-2018,” Vasily Pugachev said.

Besides, the foreign ministers are expected to consider the issues regarding unified awards instituted to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Following a suggestion of the CIS Humanitarian Cooperation Council, the draft agenda will include an issue regarding the implementation of the interstate program, CIS Capitals of Culture, in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in 2014.

The CIS Heads of State Council is expected to consider the activity of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly regarding the decisions of the CIS supreme bodies.

The draft agendas for the forthcoming meetings will be finalized by the CIS Plenipotentiaries Council that is due to meet in Minsk on 20 August.