Lavrov takes part in CIS foreign ministers' council meeting in Turkmenistan
In short
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is taking part in a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS countries on 7 October. The meeting is being held in Avaza, a centre on the Caspian Sea coast near the city of Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan. Ahead of the session, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said ministers would review the year's work and focus on the CIS's 35th anniversary.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is taking part in a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS countries on Wednesday, 7 October, according to state outlets TASS and RIA Novosti and the business outlet Interfax. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Interfax reported that the meeting is being held in Avaza, described as a centre on the Caspian Sea coast in the area of the city of Turkmenbashi. TASS gave the same location. [ 3 , 4 ]
Citing Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Interfax reported that the ministers would sum up preliminary results of the organisation's work this year, discuss prospects for multilateral cooperation in the Commonwealth format, and give special attention to the 35th anniversary of the CIS, which is marked in 2026. The foreign ministers were also expected to exchange views on current regional and international issues. [ 3 ]
Zakharova said that following the meeting “a number of decisions are expected to be adopted aimed at expanding cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian and law enforcement spheres and at raising foreign policy coordination within the CIS”. The ministers were also expected to approve a plan of multi-level consultations between foreign ministries for 2027 and to agree the date and place of the next CIS foreign ministers' meeting. [ 3 ]
According to Zakharova, most of the documents approved at the session will be passed for subsequent consideration to the CIS Council of Heads of State, which will meet on 9 October, also in Avaza, and to the CIS Council of Heads of Government, scheduled for December 2026 in Moscow. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The meeting is a regular gathering of the Commonwealth of Independent States' foreign ministers, and the documents describe it as a working session to review the year and coordinate positions. Its decisions are to be forwarded to the CIS Council of Heads of State on 9 October, also in Avaza, giving the meeting a preparatory role for that summit.
Key facts
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is taking part in the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers meeting on 7 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The meeting is being held in Avaza, a centre on the Caspian Sea coast in the area of the city of Turkmenbashi. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said ministers would sum up preliminary results of the organisation's work this year. [ 3 ]
- Zakharova said special attention would be given to the 35th anniversary of the CIS, marked in 2026. [ 3 ]
- Ministers are expected to approve a plan of multi-level inter-foreign-ministry consultations for 2027 and agree the date and place of the next CIS foreign ministers' meeting. [ 3 ]
- Most documents approved at the session are to be passed to the CIS Council of Heads of State on 9 October in Avaza and to the CIS Council of Heads of Government in Moscow in December 2026. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The documents do not report the outcome of the meeting or which decisions were adopted. Coverage consists of previews and reports that the session is under way; no results have been published in the documents.
- The specific agenda items beyond the general description given by the Russian Foreign Ministry are not listed. Only Zakharova's summary of the planned discussion is available, from a single source.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports that Lavrov will take part in the CIS foreign ministers' council on 7 October. [ 1 ]
- TASS reports Lavrov will take part in the CIS foreign ministers' meeting. [ 2 ]
- Interfax reports the meeting will be held in Avaza and details the agenda, citing Maria Zakharova. [ 3 ]
- TASS reports Lavrov is taking part in the council meeting in Avaza. [ 4 ]
- RIA Novosti reports Lavrov is taking part in the meeting. [ 5 ]