May 16, 2003 - 23:43 AMT
RUSSIA TO CONSIDER CIS TERRITORY AS STRATEGIC INTEREST SPHERE
Russia considers the CIS territory to be a sphere of its strategic interests, as Russian president Vladimir Putin stated today during his annual report addressed to the Federal Assembly. In his words, as reported by Russian sources, Russia is interested in stability and economic progress in the states of Commonwealth. V.Putin noted that the collaboration within Eurasian Economic Cooperation as well as within the framework of Collective Security Treaty would be intensified in the prospects.