The CIS heads of state extended by six months the mandate of the collective peacekeeping force in Tajikistan, in response to an appeal from Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov, Interfax reported.
Speaking at a press conference after the summit, President Boris Yeltsin said Rakhmonov must be urged to hold dialogue with the opposition. Yeltsin also said that more CIS states should take part in the Tajik settlement, Interfax said.
Yeltsin also said the summit decided to include more CIS countries in the Abkhaz peace negotiations and that he had called on CIS leaders to impose sanctions against Abkhazia if arms and drugs continue traveling through its territory or if separatist activities do not cease, Interfax said.
Yeltsin, who was unanimously re-elected de facto head of the commonwealth, also announced that the next conference of CIS heads of state will take place in Moscow on May 17, the agency said.
The CIS heads of states also said they would sign an agreement on training military and civilian personnel for CIS peacekeeping operations, the agency reported.
Member presidents adopted a decision to create national special units to fight terrorism, Interfax said.
Rakhmonov pledged to strike a peace deal with the opposition within six months, Reuters reported.
The peacekeepers, which together with the Russian-led border guards on the Tajik-Afghan frontier make up 25,000 troops, are to be led by Lieutenant General Viktor Zavarzin until the new mandate expires on June 30, Itar-Tass reported.
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