| Vladimir Putin |
Mr. Putin told an informal summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Moscow that C.I.S. members have the potential to be an effective force against these threats.
The members approved a declaration calling for cooperation in areas such as culture, science and education.
Leaders from Georgia and Azerbaijan did not take part in Sunday's meeting, reflecting tensions within the group. Some members, including Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are looking to strengthen ties with the West. Territorial disputes also persist among some C.I.S members.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
