MOSCOW (Itar-Tass)–"President Boris Yeltsin’s proposal to dismiss Boris Berezovsky from the post of CIS Executive Secretary was so far backed by six states–not counting Russia," Minister for CIS Affairs Boris Pastukhov told journalists on Wednesday after his meeting with Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov.
Pastukhov said that the presidents of Armenia–Tajikistan–Kyrghyzstan–Moldavia–Kazakhstan–and Belarus had already signed a corresponding document.
Asked by Itar-Tass whether Ivan Korotchenya would be appointed to the post of CIS Executive Secretary at the next CIS summit–Pastukhov said–"a person–whose candidacy will be backed by the presidents of the CIS countries–will be appointed to this post. If they nominate Korotchenya–he will be the next Executive Secretary."
In Tbilisi–Russian Interior Minister Sergei Stepashin said "the time is ripe" for serious cooperation between the interior ministries of Russia–Georgia–Azerbaijan and Armenia to stabilize the situation in the Caucasus.
Speaking at a press conference in Tbilisi on Wednesday–Stepashin said that his Georgian counterpart Kakha Targamadze shares his views.
Stepashin discussed more coordinated cooperation between the interior ministries of Russia–Georgia–Azerbaijan and Armenia by telephone with his Azeri and Armenian colleagues.