Georgia to fully withdraw from CIS

The newspaper said Georgia became last member of the CIS to join it as soon as Eduard Shevardnadze came to power in December 1993.

In March 1994, the Georgian parliament approved his decision. “Nothing was wrong about Georgia’s accession to CIS,” former Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze told the newspaper.

“Commonwealth of Independent States, as a rule, have always supported the position of Georgia regarding the separatists. I  think, there is no need for hasty decision to withdraw. Of course, we could still use the Commonwealth positively for Georgia.”

Georgia’s last permanent representative to the CIS Zurab Khonelidze made a similar point of view for the newspaper. “Georgia’s withdrawal from the Commonwealth will relieve Russia of the many commitments including recognition of Georgia’s territorial integrity within the organization. We could still use the CIS area making something useful for our country.”

The newspaper recalled that during CIS membership Georgia has signed 113 multilateral non-military documents.

Now Georgia wants to preserve the treaties for which CIS membership is not required.

The CIS agreement establishing a single transport, technical, and some humanitarian standards, including standards of aviation safety is the main value to Georgia, as well as for any other states of the former Soviet Union. Georgia is not going to withdraw from these agreements.

/Regnum/