"We can confirm that... we will pursue integration within the Commonwealth [of Independent States]," Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
Nazarbayev, who currently holds the CIS presidency, spoke to the press on behalf of the other leaders. He said the presidents of the former Soviet republics had agreed to discuss one issue a year. "Kazakhstan proposed discussing migration first," Nazarbayev said.
The Kazakh leader said there were 178 million migrants in the world. Migrants account for 10% of 130 million of workforce in the CIS, he said highlighting discrimination against them across the commonwealth.
Held on the sidelines of the 11th St. Petersburg Economic Summit, the 40-minute informal gathering also addressed economic issues. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to reform of the CIS, comprising 11 states and criticized by some members as being too dominated by Russia.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said in St. Petersburg he hoped Russia would gradually remove economic sanctions against his country.
Russia has introduced a ban on Georgia's key imports, mineral water and wine, citing quality concerns. Moscow also restricted travel and other links to the small Caucasus nation following a bitter diplomatic row in September, further souring relations between the ex-Soviet allies.
The leaders agreed to gather again in Dushanbe on October 5-6.
