The Speaker met with her colleagues from Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko held several bilateral meetings with parliament speakers from the CIS countries during the autumn session of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly.
The discussions focused on the topical agenda of the Interparliamentary Assembly, developing bilateral and multilateral cooperation with their colleagues from the CIS, and parliament members supporting the strengthening of economic and region-to-region links between the member states of the Commonwealth.
During the meeting with Chairman of theJogorku Kenesh (Supreme Council) of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan Nurlanbek Shakiev, the parties noted a positive dynamic in the development of Russia-Kyrgyzstan cooperation and mutual interest in expanding the entire scope of cooperation.
Valentina Matvienko highly commended Kyrgyzstan’s CIS Chairmanship in 2023, as well as the strengthening of interparliamentary dialogue, bilateral and multilateral humanitarian projects. “Russia-Kyrgyzstan cooperation in education is progressing successfully. During the 2023–2024 academic year, 124 Russian teachers are working in the republic’s general education schools. There is an agreement to increase the number of teachers on secondment and to expand the project’s geography,” the Speaker of the Federation Council said.
During the discussion with Nurlanbek Shakiev, Ms Matvienko provided information for the members of the Jogorku Kenesh who had earlier requested assistance from Russian senators with locating their family members missing during the Great Patriotic War. “Their personal files have been reconstructed based on the digitised documents from the Russian Defence Ministry and included in the world’s largest database on World War II called The Nation’s Memory,” Valentina Matvienko said.
In a meeting with Natalya Kochanova, Speaker of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, the focus was on strengthening bilateral cooperation, fostering integration within the Union State, and promoting collaboration between the parliaments within the Commonwealth of Independent States.
During a meeting with Chairman of the Majlisi milli Majlisi Oli (Supreme Assembly) of the Republic of Tajikistan Rustami Emomali, the parties discussed the prospects of multi-dimensional bilateral cooperation and development of humanitarian links. They stated that Russia and Tajikistan enjoy a strategic partnership and alliance. “The leaders of the two countries maintain regular contact and shape the bilateral agenda. The parliaments’ support for their initiatives plays an important role,” Valentina Matvienko said and congratulated Rustami Emomali on Tajikistan’s national holiday, the President’s Day.
During a meeting with Speaker of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova, the parties focused on expanding economic and humanitarian cooperation. They commended the regularity and effectiveness of the interparliamentary dialogue, which brings practical benefits to both countries. They noted that the relationship is progressing steadily, with major projects under discussion that concern infrastructure, interregional and international affairs involving the two countries. The meeting participants also noted the fruitful cooperation at the international parliamentary platforms, including in the respectable Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Sahiba Gafarova pointed out the effectiveness of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, which creates a trust-based environment for discussing and resolving all topical issues. She expressed sincere gratitude to the Russian side for hosting events dedicated to the Year of Heydar Aliyev in the Russian parliament and the Russian regions.
Valentina Matvienko invited the Speaker of the Milli Majlis to participate in the 4th Eurasian Women’s Forum, which will take place in 2024 in St Petersburg.
During the bilateral meetings with her counterparts, Valentina Matvienko noted that Russia will chair the CIS in 2024 and invited the parties to collaborate on increasing the effectiveness of the Commonwealth’s parliamentary institutions. “Year 2025 has been declared by the CIS the Year of the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the Year of Fighting Nazism. We should begin making extensive preparations for the event soon. Continuing and expanding the Train of Memory patriotic, cultural and educational project will be an important contribution.”
She also invited parliament members from the Commonwealth to support Russia’s initiative on holding World Friendship Games that will take place in Moscow and Yekaterinburg in September 2024.
A Federation Council delegation led by the Speaker paid a working visit to Kyrgyzstan on 15–17 November. The delegation included Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture Lilia Gumerova, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Economic Policy Andrey Kutepov, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on the Rules of Procedure and Parliamentary Governance Vyacheslav Timchenko, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government and Northern Affairs Andrei Shevchenko, First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy Alexander Varfolomeev and First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov.