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The President of Russia opened the meeting. The heads of the states of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and the Ukraine – Alexander Lukashenko, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Vladimir Putin and Viktor Yushchenko – examined fundamental issues regarding the creation of the CES in a meeting.

Before the beginning of the session, the four state leaders exchanged views in an informal setting.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko invited Mr Putin to visit his country.

Minister of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation Viktor Khristenko, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of Kazakhstan Sauat Mynbaev, and Minister of Economics of Ukraine Sergei Terekhin also took part in the meeting.

Following the meeting Presidents of the CES countries answered to journalists’ questions. The only goal of the Agreement on forming the Common Economic Space is the creation of the common customs and transport tariff as well as single competitive environment, stated Mr Putin.

By December 2005 29 documents on CES cooperation between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus are to be signed, by March 2006 another 15 documents are also to be adopted.

Vladimir Putin also met with the leaders of the CIS countries – Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbaev and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.