10:26, 08 November 2010 | GMT +5
CIS top security officials to meet in Tajik capital
DUSHANBE. November 8. KAZINFORM The heads of security bodies and special services of the CIS member states will meet in the Tajik capital Dushanbe on November 8-9, the Central Asian country's national security committee said.
The 29th meeting convenes to discuss improving mutually beneficial cooperation in fighting international terrorism and extremism, arms smuggling and drug trafficking.
Observers from Germany, Italy and France are expected to attend the security meeting.
The CIS, or Commonwealth of Independent States, is a loose association of former Soviet republics. It consists of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. Georgia pulled out of the organization in 2009.
Seven member states are part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a post-Soviet security bloc, Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
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