The Council of CIS presidents in the Kremlin elected Putin as the CIS head on Tuesday.

The CIS leaders said that in this way they showed their confidence in Russia. Putin was credited "with faith and hope that he will be elected president of Russia," Azerbaijan president Geidar Aliyev said at a press-conference. The Council also discussed the problem of "Counteracting international terrorism in the light of the results of the OSCE Istanbul summit." The CIS heads decided to create an international target program on fighting with international extremism and terrorism in all forms. The program will include organizing a united anti-terrorist center. The security services of CIS countries will be given corresponding tasks. Yuri Yarov will remain the executive secretary of the CIS. 5 CIS members_ maneuvers will be conducted this spring in Uzbekistan and Kirgizia as part of the anti-terrorist program, acting president Putin said after the session. He confirmed the decision about organizing an anti-terrorist center. The next meeting of the CIS heads will be held in Moscow in April.