The CIS presently has three missions, he said in an interview with the journal, Strategic Russia.
"First comes its political mission. The Commonwealth is quite ready to come as a political club of countries within the post-Soviet area-a club resembling the G8. That will be a club of several countries to blueprint up-to-date strategic approaches to regional and global political issues, and to determine general political prospects.
"Next come developments in the economic field.
"The CIS even now possesses two economic mechanisms-the EURASEC [Eurasian Economic Community] and the United Economic Environment. Both are ready to work out and implement a latter-day economic integration pattern that would prove attractive to all neighboring countries."
Last but not least comes security, added Mr. Ivanov.
As he sees it, each of the three components-economy, politics and security-"may have a configuration all its own, and involve varying numbers of member countries".
"Nothing is to be imposed on anyone. Every country ought to determine its stance proceeding from its own national interests," Mr. Ivanov emphatically warned.
