- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Ukraine may consider quitting CIS - presidential advisor -1

Subscribe
Ukraine may consider withdrawing from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a loose organization of former Soviet republics, a presidential administration official said Friday.

(adds paragraphs 5-8)

KIEV, May 5 (RIA Novosti, Vladimir Suprun) - Ukraine may consider withdrawing from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a loose organization of former Soviet republics, a presidential administration official said Friday.

Konstantin Tymoshenko, presidential advisor on foreign policy issues, said Kiev wanted full compliance with all CIS agreements.

"Otherwise, the issue of leaving the CIS can be deliberated at a practical level," Tymoshenko said.

Although he said the issue was not high on the current agenda, Tymoshenko said Ukraine was unhappy with current CIS activity and its own involvement in the organization.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ogryzko also expressed doubts about how the CIS was currently organized.

"The CIS is now like a club where discussions are held, but real issues are not addressed," he said.

Kiev contributes $1 mln to the organization each year.

"Perhaps we should think about how to use these funds to the greater benefit of our state," he said.

The politicians' comments came following an international conference on Thursday in Lithuania's capital Vilnius, on "Common Visions for the Common Neighborhood". At the conference, heads of state from the Baltic and Black Sea regions, along with NATO and EU representatives, criticized Moscow for allegedly holding back the development of democratic values, and damaging relations within the CIS.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала