Former Soviet leaders discuss CIS reform in Minsk

Moscow, Nov 28 (UNI) Leaders of the former Soviet republic today discussed in Belarussian capital Minsk, the ways to reform the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which was set up after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

CIS, a loose federation of twelve former Soviet republics, has long faced criticism, from both inside and outside, for its alleged ineffectiveness, with several leaders voicing concern over the future of the organisation.

The CIS summit in Minsk is looking into ways of modernising the post-Soviet alliance, to make it an efficient tool of cooperation, a Kremlin official said.

''The main topic of the summit, which is being held in the year of the CIS' 15th anniversary, will be related to a report on raising the Commonwealth's efficiency,'' the official said.

The report was drafted by an ad hoc group formed at the 2005 summit in Kazakhstan.

''It's about modernising the CIS and its institutions, and about their adjustment to new realities, on the basis of a pragmatic, balanced approach, which implies building the bloc's reform on the positive expertise it has accumulated over the 15 years of its existence,'' he said.

The next step will be to set out a plan for further development of the CIS as well as strategies to implement it, he added.

The summit is expected to sign documents on the development of humanitarian ties and judicial cooperation, notably against human trafficking and illegal migration, as well as on the protection of judges trying criminal cases.

The summit is also expected to approve a plan for censuses up to 2010, under a UN programme, aiming to improve socio-economic decision -making worldwide through more accurate demographic data.

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