Leonid Kuchma, President of Ukraine during a press conference of Commonwealth of Independent States leaders.

Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma speaks at a press conference at the meeting of the heads of state of the Union of Independent States.

Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze poses after a meeting of journalists with presidents of CIS-members at the Alexandrovsky Hall of the Kremlin Palace.

President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze (left) and his counterpart Askar Akayev of Kirgizstan (right) are interviewed at a joint press-briefing held by the CIS-countries' leaders.