DUSHANBE, July 18, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Leaders of five CIS states – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Tajikistan – arrived in Moscow to attend Russian President’s Cup Horse Race that has been held at the Central Hippodrome in Moscow today.

Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Moldova have nominated 12 horses for the racing with the prize money of seven million Russian rubles.

The first Russian President’s Cup horse race was held on June 3, 2004.

According to Russian media, Moscow invited all leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) for the horse racing, however, only leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Moldova have arrived in Moscow to attend the competition.  Other CIS leaders refused invitation for different reasons.

During his stay in Moscow, President Emomali Rahmon is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his Russian counterpart, President Dmitry Medvedev.