DUSHANBE, April 7, 2013, Asia-Plus -- Foreign ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on April 5 met in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent.

Delegations of foreign ministries of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine attended the session.

Tajikistan was represented by Mahmoudjon Sobirov, the First Deputy Foreign Minister.

The session reportedly focused on foreign policy coordination, educational programs, cooperation against crimes related to information technology, and a draft resolution on the expansion of tourism between the countries.  Priority was given to humanitarian cooperation.

The session resulted in signing of a number of resolutions aimed at promoting further expansion of multilateral cooperation within the CIS area.

The next meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS Member Nations is expected tot take place in Minsk, Belarus in October 2013.

The Council of Foreign Minister of the CIS Member Nations is the main executive body ensuring cooperation in the field of foreign policy activities of the CIS member states on the matters of mutual interest, adopting decisions during the period between the meetings of the Council of the CIS Heads of State, the Council of the CIS Heads of Government and by their orders.  The first session of the Council took place in August 1993.

Established on December 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional organization.  It now consists of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.  Georgia pulled out of the organization in 2009.

Belarus is currently chairing the organization.