DUSHANBE , June 7, Asia-Plus  -- Participants at an informal CIS summit in St. Petersburg have focused on coordination of their visions of the plan for the development of the CIS and expansion of interstate humanitarian activities.   

Speaking at the meeting, President Emomali Rahmon noted on June 6 that the present level of interaction between the CIS states in the field of economy, in particular energy sector, is insufficient and supported the proposal to declare the year of 2009 as Year of Energy, according to presidential press service.     

            The Tajik head of state expressed confidence that draft conception of the CIS migration policy worked out by Tajikistan will be seconded by other CIS member nations and hailed intensification of activities of the Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation, stressing that Dushanbe is currently making preparations to host the Third Forum of Scientific and Creative Intelligentsia.   

We will recall that the forum formally titled “Through Dialogue of Cultures and Tolerance to Mutual Enrichment and Prosperity of the CIS Peoples” is scheduled to be held in Dushanbe in September this year.   

In the meantime, Russia ’s Itar-Tass reported that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at the informal summit that the next CIS summit will take place in Bishkek on September 26, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at the CIS informal meeting in St. Petersburg on Friday.

Medvedev described economic cooperation as the main focus of the organization and supported the opinion of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan that the CIS should concentrate on energy issues next year. CIS member countries control about 18% of the world appraised crude reserves and 40% of the world appraised natural gas. They supply 17% of world crude and gas condensate.   The heads of state said they might form a coordinating council of CIS