Meeting of the Council of the CIS Foreign Ministers took place in Tashkent

Meeting of the Council of the CIS Foreign Ministers took place in the capital of Uzbekistan, chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov.

Among the most relevant documents adopted at the Meeting of the Council, is the Statement of the CIS Ministers of Foreign Affairs on the Inadmissibility of Discrimination and Intolerance against Christians, Muslims and Representatives of other Confessions.

The Statement expresses concern over the growing number of actions against Christians, Muslims and representatives of other religions in various regions of the world. The document also reaffirms a strong commitment to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief for people of any race, sex, language or religion.

The Council summarized the work of the inter-MFA consultations in 2016 and approved the action plan for 2017.

This year's plan includes consultations related to the work of international organizations in the information area, countering modern challenges and threats, as well as disarmament and economic cooperation.

The most important document approved by the Council in the field of humanitarian cooperation is the draft Decision on the implementation of the Program on Cultural Capitals of the Commonwealth in the Republic of Armenia (Goris) in 2018, in the Republic of Belarus (Brest) in 2019, and in the Republic of Kazakhstan (Shymkent) in 2020.