ASSA-Irada,
18, March 2008

A common economic model would benefit all countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the ex-Soviet bloc's senior official said on a visit to Azerbaijan.

"This would help [countries] to be more accessible for entry to each other's markets," CIS Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev told the press Tuesday. "Creating this model is both realistic and important for everyone."

Lebedev said there were great prospects for cooperation in the economic field.

"This is a priority topic at a number of functions attended by CIS leaders," the executive secretary said, adding that related issues would be tabled at a meeting of the CIS Economic Council on April 4.

Lebedev said that in a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, the high demand for Azeri-made goods in Moscow was highlighted.

The key goal of Lebedev's visit to Baku that started on Monday is to hold talks on the next CIS summit due in June. Besides President Aliyev, he has met with the prime minister and foreign minister.