CIS heads of state confer behind closed doors longer than projected

The CIS presidents discuss behind closed doors longer than planned. The meeting started at 11.00 and was to last for half an hour. The extended-format meeting of the CIS Heads of State Council will follow next. The agenda includes the examination of the results of yesterday's meeting of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council and issues concerning cooperation between the CIS states and the work of the organization's institutions, Info-Prim Neo reports. The heads of state now consider the decision on Georgia's participation in the CIS's work and measures aimed at overcoming the economic crisis and increasing security. The presidents of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan did not come to the summit. A number of bilateral meetings, between heads of state and between ministers, are to be held during the day. It is said that the most important subjects will be discussed at these meetings that are closed for the press. In the morning, the Acting President of Moldova Mihai Ghimpu had a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Victor Yushchenko. In the afternoon, he will meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev. In the evening, Ghimpu will confer with his Belorussian counterpart Alexandr Lukashenko. The Alliance for European Integration's candidate for the presidency Marian Lupu will also have a meeting with Dmitry Medvedev. Prime Minister Vlad Filat will meet with several of his CIS counterparts. When the news item was published, the discussions in restricted format between the CIS heads of state were going on.