President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in Belarusian capital Minsk.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko welcomed President Ilham Aliyev at the Independence Palace. The heads of state posed for photographs.

Then President Alexander Lukashenko welcomed other presidents who arrived in Belarus to attend the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State.

The presidents posed for photographs.

A closed-door meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State was held first.

Greeting the participants of the meeting, the President of Belarus said this event would discuss issues related to the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation in the CIS area. Alexander Lukashenko noted that close cooperation and dialogue were established among the countries in political, economic, humanitarian and other fields.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed the meeting.

The heads of state stressed the importance of the strengthening of cooperation and friendly ties within the CIS. It was noted that the expansion of the multilateral cooperation was among key priorities, and issues discussed at the meeting would give an impetus to the strengthening of cooperation among Commonwealth countries. The heads of state discussed the strengthening of mutual relations in the fields of science, education, tourism and security, the situation in Ukraine and other issues.

Then an expanded meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State was held. It was noted that the heads of state adopted an address to the people of the CIS countries and international community in connection with the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The meeting participants agreed to expand cooperation among research organizations of CIS countries, declare 2016 the Year of Education within the CIS, and fight against illegal migration and human trafficking.

The CIS leaders decided that Kazakhstan would take over the CIS chairmanship in 2015 and the next meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State would take place in Astana next year.

The meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State ended with the signing of documents.

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended a working breakfast, which was hosted on behalf of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in honor of the heads of state of the CIS countries.

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The same day, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev ended his visit to Minsk.