DUSHANBE, May 11, 2015, Asia-Plus – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has called on the CSI heads of state to strengthen security of the CIS southern borders.

He reportedly stated this at an informal CIS summit that took place in Moscow on May 8.     

The informal summit of the CIS nations brought together heads of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, as well as Uzbekistan''s president.

Inaugurating the meeting, Russian leader Vladimir Putin noted that next year''s Commonwealth will turn 25 years.  He called it a good opportunity to objectively assess the results of the work.  According to him, Russia is interested in further enhancing the effectiveness of multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation within the CIS.  “This fully corresponds to the strategic plans of the countries,” Vladimir Putin said.

The summit reportedly did not have a fixed agenda and the CIS leaders used it to exchange opinions on the status and prospects for cooperation within the CIS.

Russian media outlets report the summit participants mainly discussed the organizational questions related to the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.  They reportedly agreed that this Victory is common.

Meanwhile, speaking at the meeting, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon called on his counterparts from the CIS nations to take immediate measures to strengthen the CIS southern borders and jointly address threats and challenges emanating from Afghanistan.  “Intensification of activities of the Taliban militants in the areas borders the CIS nations and appearance of the Islamic State (IS) militants pose threat to the Commonwealth of Independent States,” Tajik leader noted.