Independent States
The Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation (RSFSR), the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and Ukraine,
striving to build democratic states governed by the rule of law, relations between which will develop on the basis of mutual recognition and respect for state sovereignty and sovereign equality, the inalienable right to self-determination, the principles of equality and non-interference in internal affairs, renunciation of the use of force and threat of force, economic and any other methods of pressure, peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for human rights and freedoms, including the rights of national minorities, the conscientious fulfillment of obligations and other generally recognized principles and norms of international law;
recognizing and respecting each other's territorial integrity and the inviolability of existing borders;
considering that the strengthening of friendship, good-neighborliness and mutually beneficial cooperation, which have deep historical roots, meets the fundamental interests of peoples and serves the cause of peace and security;
aware of their responsibility for the preservation of civil peace and interethnic harmony;
being committed to the goals and principles of the Agreement on the Establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States,
declare the following:
Interaction between the participants of the Commonwealth will be carried out on the principle of equality through coordinating institutions formed on a parity basis and acting in the manner determined by agreements between the participants of the Commonwealth, which is neither a state nor a supranational entity.
In order to ensure international strategic stability and security, a unified command of military-strategic forces and unified control over nuclear weapons will be maintained; the parties will respect each other's desire to achieve the status of a non-nuclear and/or neutral state.
The Commonwealth of Independent States is open, with the consent of all its participants, to the accession of member states of the former USSR, as well as other states that share the goals and principles of the Commonwealth.
The commitment to cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, pan-European and Eurasian markets is confirmed.
With the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ceases to exist. The member states of the Commonwealth guarantee, in accordance with their constitutional procedures, the fulfillment of international obligations arising from treaties and agreements of the former USSR.
The member states of the Commonwealth undertake to strictly observe the principles of this Declaration.