CIS leaders highlight Russian language in anniversary statement

Leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States described Russian as an important language for humanitarian ties among peoples and governments in a statement marking the organization’s 35th anniversary.

The document was signed in Turkmenistan on Oct. 9. It describes humanitarian cooperation as a way to strengthen trust, mutual understanding and friendship among CIS member states. The statement was adopted in connection with the anniversary of the Commonwealth’s founding.

The leaders said Russian serves as a language of interethnic and interstate communication. They also reaffirmed their readiness to develop humanitarian contacts on the basis of shared values and to support good-neighbourly relations, interethnic understanding and interfaith harmony.

The CIS Executive Committee said the statement was signed at the heads-of-state summit on Oct. 9. The wider document also calls for preserving shared historical and cultural heritage and supporting educational, creative and youth initiatives.