The CIS leaders have signalled readiness to deepen economic cooperation, which specifically stipulates forming a free trade zone.

A statement to this effect was made on Saturday, September 3 at a CIS summit in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, where the sides also agreed to jointly fight terrorism, drug trafficking and illegal migration, as well as contribute to raising people’s standards of living in CIS countries.

Additionally, the CIS leaders signed a missile defense agreement and one related to a joint celebration of WWII victory.

They pointed out that the past twenty years have seen the CIS paving the way for the interaction, which complies with national interests of each and every CIS member.

Speaking at the Dushanbe gathering on Saturday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in turn that the Commonwealth of Independent States has “no alternative”, adding that the next CIS summit is due in Moscow before the end of the year, The Voice of Russia reported.