The Ashgabat Declaration on the Development of Cooperation and Confidence-building in Relations between the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States
Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States of December 24, 1993
We, the heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States, gathered on December 24, 1993 in the city of Ashgabat, note that, despite the complex and contradictory nature of the formation of the Commonwealth, it has become a political and economic reality of the modern world. The legal framework has been laid, and bodies for multilateral cooperation in the fields of economics, defense, and foreign policy have been established and are functioning. The Coordination and Advisory Committee and the Executive Secretariat of the Commonwealth have started active work. Although it is not easy, the formation of a homogeneous economic space is underway on the basis of an Agreement on the Establishment of an Economic Union. We declare our sincere determination, in fulfillment of the will of the peoples of our States, to expand and strengthen on a new basis the traditional, historically established relations of friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding between our States. At this historical stage, in the difficult conditions of the transition period, it is vital to preserve all the good things that have bound our peoples through centuries of common history in politics, economics, culture, humanitarian ties, and interpersonal communication and, on this basis, to develop cooperation at a qualitatively new level. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, mutual trust and openness, non-use of force, threat of force or economic pressure, settlement of disputes by peaceful means and non-interference in internal affairs, conscientious fulfillment of assumed obligations and mutually beneficial partnership should become the basis of interstate relations. It is necessary to realize the exclusivity of this stage in the life of our peoples, who are experiencing not only political and economic transformation, but also deep psychological breakdown, the growth of national identity, and the revival of their own spiritual culture. In these circumstances, we, heads of State, politicians, as well as cultural, scientific, and artistic figures, and all citizens of our States, are required to be balanced in our assessments of each other, to respect the invaluable heritage acquired by our peoples, independence, and the possibility of civilized development based on sovereign equality in the system of international relations. We confirm that the most important thing for which we strive to strengthen trust between us is interethnic harmony as the highest political, moral and human value. By introducing national currencies, the member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States will strive to establish a free, civilized exchange of national currencies and solve problems in mutual settlements, which should create objective conditions for assessing the possibility of a phased formation of a payment and monetary union. Today we all need each other's support, cooperation, and mutual understanding. The future of our peoples, their security, stability, peace and quiet in the homes of ordinary people directly depend on the level of trust between the member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States. We, the heads of State and Government, need to show maximum wisdom, goodwill, responsibility and do everything possible to fulfill our obligations within the framework of the Commonwealth. The willingness to make reasonable compromises will allow us, without prejudice to the interests of sovereign States, to continue along the path of building and jointly forming an effective legal framework for our cooperation in the name of the prosperity of our peoples. The experience of the two-year existence of the Commonwealth of Independent States proves that constructive dialogue, multilateral consultations, consideration and respect for partner positions contribute to the real strengthening of the political and economic independence of the member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States, and their achievement of a high level of integration. The Commonwealth of Independent States has demonstrated its openness in practice. Its members were growing. By allowing each State to realize its choice of a political and economic system in accordance with its own specifics and national characteristics, participation in the Commonwealth created the necessary political and socio-economic conditions for building a democratic society in each of them. The sovereign member States of the Commonwealth, which are independent and equal subjects of international law, reserve the right to participate in universal and regional organizations. Recognizing the importance of maintaining peace and stability within and between the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the heads of the Commonwealth member States agreed on the need for new efforts to strengthen the peacekeeping potential of their States. Expressing concern about the ongoing armed conflicts arising on the grounds of expansionism, nationalism, chauvinism, xenophobia and religious intolerance, the participants of the Ashgabat meeting note the importance of efforts to curb such phenomena in a timely manner, are determined to expand cooperation with each other in this area and take all necessary, including collective measures aimed at the peaceful settlement of armed conflicts and elimination of the causes leading to their occurrence in the future. We, the heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States, expressing the will of our peoples, declare our readiness to do everything in our power to ensure a normal life for people, their social guarantees, prevent forced migration, conditions for economic stabilization and the implementation of large-scale development programs. We express our deep conviction that the political, economic, and humanitarian potential of the Commonwealth of Independent States is a powerful guarantee in solving the historical challenges facing our peoples.
Done in the city of Ashgabat on December 24, 1993, in one original copy in the Russian language. The original copy is kept in the Archives of the Government of the Republic of Belarus, which will send a certified copy to the signatory States of this Declaration. For the Republic of Azerbaijan _____________ signature
For the Republic of Armenia _____________ signature
For the Republic of Belarus _____________ signature
For the Republic of Georgia _____________ signature
For the Republic of Kazakhstan _____________ signature
For the Republic of Kyrgyzstan _____________ signature
For the Republic of Moldova _____________ signature
For the Russian Federation (RSFSR) _____________ signature
For the Republic of Tajikistan _____________ signature
For Turkmenistan _____________ signature
For the Republic of Uzbekistan _____________ signature
For Ukraine _____________ signature
President
Republic of Kazakhstan
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