MOSCOW, August 30 (RIA Novosti) - Relations between Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) must rest on a pragmatic base, that is, on international norms and regulations, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Loschinin said Tuesday.

"We have been speaking about pragmatism in recent years. Everything should be built on a base of regulations," he said.

The diplomat said the future of the CIS as well as of other international organizations depended on the economy. "I feel the progress, and it is very potent," Loshinin said.

The annual growth in trade between Russia and other CIS countries is 40%, he said. The growing Russian economy plays a dominant role in this process, the diplomat added.

Loschinin said the recent summit of the CIS leaders in Kazan was positive, although the expectations were not optimistic. "We managed to sign a number of agreements including the agreement on humanitarian cooperation."