Russian Foreign Ministry: there is no alternative to CIS

The meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS member countries has started in Moscow. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said that there is no alternative to CIS.

"The Commonwealth of Independent States is the broadest regional platform, which has proven its viability and relevance. There is no actual alternative to the Commonwealth in variety of forms and areas of joint activity now," RIA Novosti cited him as saying.

Pankin stressed that other integration associations does not diminish the role of the CIS.

Today's meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers is the first high-level meeting in the year of the 30th anniversary of the Commonwealth.

"The agenda of the event is very busy. <...> It is planned to consider the implementation of the action program adopted in Ashgabat in 2019 to enhance partnership between the foreign affairs agencies of the Commonwealth member states. It is planned to make a number of decisions on specific issues of cooperation in law enforcement, military and humanitarian spheres, in areas of youth cooperation, tourism, physical education and sports," Pankin added.