TBILISI, February 3 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia will remain a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) despite its withdrawal from the Council of CIS Defense Ministers, the head of the presidential administration said Friday.

"The president's decree to withdraw from the Council of CIS Defense Ministers does not mean that Georgia is withdrawing from the Commonwealth of Independent States," Georgy Arveladze said.

"The CIS is a political collaboration, a forum of political communication, and is very useful for Georgia," Arveladze said. "But we are not considering the CIS from a military perspective, and our main aim is to join NATO."

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili signed a decree Thursday ending the country's participation in the Council of CIS Defense Ministers. The Georgian Foreign Ministry said the country aimed to join NATO and could not be a member of two military blocs simultaneously.