10-11, 2017, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the meeting of the Council of the Heads of States of the Commonwealth of Independent States, in the city of Sochi, Russia. 

The main events of the summit were held on October 11. 

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin met the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Congress Centre of the city of Sochi. 

Heads of the CIS member states held a meeting in a narrow format. Prospects of further strengthening cooperation within the framework of the Commonwealth, issues of improving activities of this international structure were discussed, views were exchanged on regional and international issues. 

The Commonwealth of Independent States was established on the basis of the Agreement on establishment of the CIS of December 8, 1991 and the Protocol to this agreement of December 21, 1991. Members of this international structure are the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Tajikistan and Ukraine. The executive, administrative and coordinating body of the CIS is the Executive Committee. 

Uzbekistan actively participates in multilateral cooperation within the framework of the CIS, which contributes to the development of relations of our country with the Commonwealth member states in various spheres. 

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted the interest of Uzbekistan in developing cooperation with the Commonwealth countries in trade, economic, investment, transport, tourism, science, education and security spheres. Since the beginning of this year, the trade turnover between our country and the CIS countries has increased by 20 percent. 

Uzbekistan intends to further intensify participation in this structure. On November 3, a meeting of the Council of Heads of Governments of the CIS will be held in Tashkent. 

The Head of our state noted the need to strengthen confidence and cooperation between the member states, to develop and implement new, concrete projects within the framework of the Commonwealth. 

The transport and communications sector is a strategically important area of cooperation. Development of mutually integrated transport systems, full utilization of the enormous transit potential of the Commonwealth meets the interests of all its participants. An important role in this is played by the improvement of administrative process and provision of mutual preferences. 

It was noted that the opportunities in the sphere of tourism are not fully utilized, the need to analyze the existing potential and take concrete measures for its implementation was indicated. 

Participants of the meeting paid attention to the situation in Afghanistan. Issues of joint struggle against the legalization of proceeds from crime, corruption, terrorism, drug trafficking and other threats were discussed. 

The issue of the presiding state in the Commonwealth was considered. By the decision of the meeting, the chairmanship in this international structure will pass to the Republic of Tajikistan in 2018. 

President of our country Shavkat Mirziyoyev in this regard congratulated President Emomali Rahmon and wished him success in carrying out this important mission. 

Heads of states continued negotiations in an expanded format. 

Issues such as improving activities of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth, development of activities of the Council of Foreign Ministers and the Economic Council, the announcement of the cultural capitals of the CIS in subsequent years, were discussed at the meeting. 

Statement of the Heads of States of the CIS on supporting family institution and traditional family values, the decision on declaring 2019 as the Year of Book, 2020 – the Year of the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, were adopted. 

Concepts of cooperation of the CIS member states in the field of combating the legalization of proceeds from crime, financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as corruption, were approved. 

Other documents aimed at strengthening interaction between the member states of the Commonwealth were also adopted. 

Meeting of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin was held within the framework of the summit. 

Shavkat Mirziyoyev, expressing his deep satisfaction with this meeting, particularly noted that the strategic partnership and allied relations between Uzbekistan and Russia are enriched with a new practical content. 

Vladimir Putin, welcoming Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Sochi, emphasized that the agreements reached during the state visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Russia in April of this year are being consistently implemented and giving their results. 

Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia is dynamically developing on the basis of the Treaty on strategic partnership signed on June 16, 2004 and the Treaty on allied relations of November 14, 2005. Our countries are cooperating effectively within the framework of such international structures as the UN, the SCO, and the CIS. 

For a short period after the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Russia, mutual contacts have significantly intensified. The spectrum of cooperation covered new spheres. In recent months, a number of visits have taken place at intergovernmental and interregional level. 

Russia is one of the important trade and economic partners of Uzbekistan. In our country, large investment projects are being implemented with participation of leading companies and banks of Russia. There is an increase in all indicators of exports and imports. Since the beginning of the year, the trade turnover has exceeded 3 billion dollars. 

Businessmen of the two countries concluded a solid package of promising agreements during Uzbekistan – Russia business forum that was recently held in Tashkent. 

Intensification of cooperation between industrial sectors, expansion of business contacts between businessmen, strengthening cultural and humanitarian relations between our people was emphasized. It was noted that the recent visit of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Uzbekistan also served to strengthening of friendship and mutual understanding between our people. 

At the meeting, issues of further development of bilateral cooperation were discussed. Views were exchanged on regional and international issues of mutual interest. 

Meeting of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev with the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko was held. 

Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that relations between Uzbekistan and Belarus became more active after the meeting that was held in Samarkand in 2016, the volume of mutual trade increased significantly. It was noted that the economies of the two countries complement each other, there are large unused opportunities for cooperation in the spheres of agriculture, textile and food industries, mechanical engineering and others. 

Alexander Lukashenko noted that Belarus is interested in developing a comprehensive partnership with Uzbekistan. 

Belarus considers Uzbekistan as an important economic partner in Central Asia. Relations between our countries are developing on the basis of principles of friendship and interest. 

Issues of establishment of joint ventures, expansion of the network of trading houses, development of cooperation in the sphere of deep processing of raw materials were discussed. 

President of our country Shavkat Mirziyoyev invited the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to visit Uzbekistan. 

UzA