Georgia Discusses Possible Withdrawal from CIS

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Georgian parliamentary opposition in the face of the Republican Party has urged the authorities to launch a procedure of the country's withdrawal from the CIS. In the words of one of the party leaders, MP David Berdzenishvili, «it is one of not many issues, over which the parliamentary opposition does not have differences with Georgian authorities.» Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze has considered the opposition proposal acceptable. «We should actually start consultations in this regard with President and the ruling majority,» she said. Earlier N. Burjanadze told journalists that the issue of Georgia staying part of or withdrawal from the Commonwealth is not a basic one, as «the organization is not able to function.» «The CIS decides practically nothing. However, it remains a rostrum, from which Georgia announces its position,» the Georgian Speaker said. Besides, in her words, the meetings within the CIS framework allow the Georgian President to meet with his colleagues, specifically Russian President V. Putin, more frequently.



MPs from the ruling party and the opposition emphasized during the session that former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze «in his time dragged Georgia by force into the CIS, where Russia rules individually.» It should be reminded that the Georgian delegation refused to take part in the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly a few days ago.



In spite of repeated statements by Georgian authorities of their war attitude towards Russia, their actions more frequently evidence the contrary. Thus, November 17 the Georgian Parliament Deputies composed a black-list of Russian politicians, who would be forbidden the country. The list will be a long one, stated one of the leaders of Georgia's United National Movement ruling party, MP Giga Bokeria. The list will be submitted to the Georgian MFA. The urgency of forming a black-list of Russian politicians appeared November 16, 2005, when the Russian MFA did not issue entry visa to Chairman of the Georgian Parliament Committee on Defense and Security Givi Targamadze in due time without any explanations. The incident caused refusal of Georgian Speaker N. Burjanadze and a number of MPs from a trip to Saint Petersburg to take part in the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, reported RosBusinessConsult.