Events

12 Oct 2023

Aleinik attending CIS Foreign Ministers Council in Bishkek

BISHKEK, 12 October (BelTA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Aleinik took part in the meeting of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council in Bishkek on 12 October, BelTA reports.

The event took place on the eve of the CIS Heads of State Council meeting. This summit will also be held in Bishkek, as Kyrgyzstan currently chairs the CIS.

At the beginning of the narrow-format meeting of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council, CIS Secretary General Sergei Lebedev noted that the draft agenda of the event included 20 talking points.

The heads of the delegations spent most of the time exchanging views on international and regional developments and interaction within the CIS.

The narrow-format meeting was held behind closed doors except for a brief protocol part. According to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Aleinik called on the Commonwealth countries to coordinate and consolidate efforts to counter illegitimate external sanctions, promote the principles of a multipolar world, democratize international relations, and ensure global strategic balance and stability. “Belarus calls on all partners to engage in dialogue in order to move away from confrontation towards peaceful resolution and to strengthen global and regional security. Peaceful coexistence based on the principle of respect for legitimate interests of all states is in our common interests,” the foreign minister noted.

He also highlighted the importance of intensifying economic cooperation that is seen as a pillar of integration. Although integration processes gained a lot of steam in the past two years, he urged partners to come up with new effective measures to boost self-sufficiency, expand cooperation and reinforce the technological sovereignty of the Commonwealth countries. “I propose to continue aligning economic development strategies of the Commonwealth countries and identifying key points of our interaction, including with friendly nations and associations (SCO, BRICS, etc.),” the foreign minister said.

After the narrow-format meeting, the foreign ministers proceeded with an extended-participation meeting.

“At the narrow-format meeting, the foreign ministers approved the agenda and rules of the meeting. The heads of the delegations spent most of the time exchanging views on international developments and interaction within the CIS. Decisions were made to award the CIS Badge of Honor and to hold the next meeting of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council in Minsk on 12 April 2024,” said Sergei Lebedev.

At the extended-participation meeting, the delegates heard out a report on the draft action plan to mark the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in the Commonwealth in 2025.

A number of documents were signed following the meeting.

In particular, four draft joint statements of the CIS Heads of State Council were approved. Among them is the draft statement on the principles of interstate relations in a multipolar world. The document highlights the importance of forging a sustainable multipolar world order, declares its pledge to make a meaningful contribution to building an international security architecture in order to address international and regional development challenges, emphasizes plans to transform the Commonwealth into a region of peace, sustainable development and shared prosperity, reaffirms the openness of the CIS to a broader international cooperation.

The delegates adopted a plan for multi-level ministerial consultations in 2024. The document provides for coordination of the positions of Commonwealth countries in the UN, interaction with other international organizations, consultations related to countering new challenges and threats, ensuring international information security, arms control and disarmament issues, interaction in the media sphere and foreign policy planning.

As far as the agenda of the ministerial consultations is concerned, the Republic of Belarus upheld the proposal to discuss new topics such as economic cooperation within regional economic associations, economic aspects of the climate agenda, cooperation in culture, science, education, sports, tourism, and youth policy.

Particular attention was paid to joint efforts to protect the historical truth and memory of the feat of the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War. After all, the Nazi ideology is making a comeback in various countries of the world, where glorification of fascism and collaboration, and cynical rewriting of history are becoming more common. It was agreed that a draft action plan to mark in 2025 the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War would be submitted for consideration to the CIS heads of government.

Sergei Aleinik also invited members of the delegations to take part in the high-level international conference “Eurasian Security: Reality and Prospects in a Changing World,” that will be held in Minsk on 26-27 October 2023 on the initiative of Belarus. “We will bring together our friends, international partners and experts to discuss a wide range of issues, including prospects for institutionalizing Eurasian security and drafting proposals to ensure the sustainable regional development,” the minister noted.



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