CIS Daily Bulletin, March 13

Below is a summary of events in the Commonwealth of Independent States on March 13:

* The CIS Economic Council gathered in Moscow to discuss the bloc's strategy for economic development until 2020, a spokesman for the council said

Azerbaijan:

* Azerbaijan's GDP grew 10.8% in 2008 to reach more than $47 billion, the country's parliament said

* A man in Azerbaijan bearing a striking resemblance to U.S. President Barack Obama has become a celebrity in the ex-Soviet Caucasus state, a popular Russian daily said

Kazakhstan:

* Two buses and over 50 cars carrying a total of 83 people were caught late on Thursday in heavy snowfall in eastern Kazakhstan, emergencies services said

* Russia's State Duma ratified an intergovernmental agreement on simplified border crossing with Kazakhstan