A regular session of the council of the interior ministers of the CIS member countries was held in Baku from 6 to 7 September, Uzbek newspaper Na Postu reported on 15 September.

Delegations from the interior ministries of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine, as well as the Armenian Police took part in this session.

The chairman of the [CIS] Executive Committee - CIS Executive Secretary Vladimir Rushaylo - took part in the session.

The session discussed issues relating to increasing the effectiveness of the activities of the council of the CIS member countries’ interior ministers in counteracting modern challenges and threats, as well as cooperation in the fight against cyber-crime, prospects for improving the exchange of statistical information, cooperation in training and retraining specialists and improving their skills.

Decisions were adopted concerning the setting up a unified network of computerized multi-purpose data banks, as well as a single procedure of the interstate search for individuals.

Protocols on cooperation for 2008-09 were signed between the interior ministries of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, as well as between the interior ministries of Uzbekistan and Russia during the session.

InteriorMinister Lt-Gen Bahodir Matlubov signed the protocols on behalf of the Interior Ministry of Uzbekistan.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the heads of the delegations of the interior ministries of the CIS member countries.

The session took place in a friendly atmosphere and in a spirit of mutual understanding, trust and constructive cooperation.