Chiefs of energy companies and of controlling bodies of countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and Baltic countries will discuss on Tuesday question of forming the common energy market and unification of power systems of countries of the CIS and Baltic countries with the European Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE).

The 31st meeting of the CIS Electric Power Council will be held in Yerevan on 29 May under the presidency of Anatoly Chubais, the head of RAO UES of Russia, (Unified Energy Systems of Russia).

Itar-Tass reported the meeting is also to discuss draft principles of interaction of operators of energy systems of CIS countries in conditions of the common energy market and results of the operation of energy systems in the autumn and winter of 2006-2007, the press service of RAO UES of Russia noted.

A number of proposals will be advanced to develop interstate market relations in the area of electric power and an account will be delivered on the drafting of documents on the main technical requirements to energy systems of countries of the CIS countries and Baltic countries working on parallel lines.

The 19th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS in Yalta, Crimea, on May 25 signed the agreement on forming the common energy market. The signatories of the document are Armenia, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. "This is a highly positive arrangement to expand trade in electricity. It will make it possible to increase access to energy resources of the CIS countries," said Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov.

The CIS Electric Power Council was formed on February 14, 1992. Its main task is to coordinate actions to ensure stable and reliable energy supply of the economy and population on the basis of effective functioning of joint energy systems. On the CIS Electric Power Council are plenipotentiary representatives of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine. Board Chairman of RAO UES of Russia Anatoly Chubais has headed the Council from 2000.