Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov attended the CIS summit in Dushanbe on October 5. According to the Turkmen State News Service (TDH), before the start of the official opening ceremony, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held brief meetings with the CIS presidents on the sidelines of the summit.

At a meeting with the Russian Federation president, Vladimir Putin, the sides exchanged views on the essential issues of bilateral cooperation. Some aspects of bilateral partnership were also discussed at brief meetings with Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Uzbek President Islam Karimov, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin. During the meetings, the sides reaffirmed mutual interest in the further continuation of inter-state relations.

Some 20 issues were put on the CIS summit agenda. They covered the elaboration of the concept of the further development of CIS, strengthening the cooperation in economic and humanitarian spheres as well as some organizational issues. Particular attention was paid to issues of collective security, fighting against crime and terrorism, cooperation in the sphere of migration and law and order in the CIS. The head of the Russian external intelligence service, Sergey Lebedev, has been appointed CIS executive secretary replacing Vladimir Rushailo.

A number of documents were signed in the end of the summit. In particular, the majority of participants signed the Convention on Development of the CIS and a plan of action for its implementation. The summit participants noted the absolute success of the meeting and agreed that the next CIS summit will be held in Bishkek in 2008.

According to the TDH, Turkmenistan is an associated member of the CIS. This membership, based on the international commitments of Turkmenistan emanating from its status of permanent neutrality accorded to Turkmenistan, was unanimously approved and supported by the heads of CIS countries at a summit in Kazan in August 2005, and amendments were made to relevant documents.

As President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said, "Turkmenistan will continue taking active part in the CIS affairs as the associated member and develop fruitful cooperation in the bilateral and multilateral format."

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov left for Ashgabat after the end of the summit.