The Russia-Central Asia format does not replace the work of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on the sidelines of the CIS summit in Astana, Trend reports citing TASS.
"This is not the first year this format exists. We’ve already had three meetings at the level of foreign ministers within its framework. The discussions have accumulated ideas and initiatives that should be organically implemented within the framework of the Russia-Central Asia interaction. It in no way replaces the CIS, CSTO and EEU, where Russia participates, and as for the CIS, the five Central Asian countries," the top diplomat said.
At the same time, Lavrov stressed that Central Asia now presents more opportunities "for the development of continental cooperation". "'Central Asia plus partner’ formats were created earlier by both the Americans and the EU. Our Central Asian friends also have a similar mechanism with Japan, India, Turkey, Iran. In this context, the Russian Federation does not open a new chapter here, but simply uses its objective opportunities for development on the basis of the existing common economic complex to deepen economic integration," the Russian Foreign Minister added, "This is a natural process that will further harmonize the existing trends on our continent".