Azerbaijan, Baku, 14 Sept./ Trend/
Astana is likely to claim for the status of the CIS capital of culture in 2012, Novosti-Kazakhstan reported referring to the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth.
Minsk hosts a meeting on the preparations and implementation of the intergovernmental program "CIS Capitals of Culture" this week.
Turkmenistan also sent a relevant request, nominating its city of Mary as the CIS Capital of Culture 2012.
The Program is focused on fostering intergovernmental cultural cooperation among the CIS countries, their further integration, creation of attractive conditions for economic and political contacts, social development, as well as raising the status of the Commonwealth in the international arena.