ISTANBUL

Russian President Vladimir Putin held telephone conversations with leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to discuss bilateral relations and preparations for the upcoming CIS summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital, the Kremlin said.

“During the telephone conversations, issues related to the development of bilateral relations and upcoming joint work at the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in Dushanbe were discussed,” the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

The leaders congratulated Putin on his birthday during separate phone calls.

Dushanbe will host the CIS Heads of State summit and Foreign Ministers’ meeting on Oct. 9 and 10.

As part of the two events, Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will pay an official visit to Tajikistan, where they are expected to hold talks with their counterparts on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said the establishment of a new “CIS Plus” format would be on the agenda at the Dushanbe summit.

Putin is set to meet Tajik President Emomali Rahmon during his visit, with both sides expected to sign a joint statement on strengthening bilateral relations, Ushakov said in a separate statement.

He noted that bilateral meetings with other leaders are also planned, including a possible meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Following the events in Tajikistan, Putin will address journalists.

The CIS, formed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, includes several former Soviet republics aiming to promote economic, political, and security cooperation.