The Russia-led organization was formed following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and comprises 12 former Soviet republics, but it has been criticized recently by many of its members who complain it is inefficient and lacking in direction.
"Today, the structure of the CIS lacks the dynamism and determination to achieve concrete results," Vardan Oskanyan said before a summit of CIS leaders in the capital of Belarus, Minsk, scheduled for November 28.
"That is why, as a result of the 2005 CIS summit in Kazan, a decision was made to perfect and reform CIS bodies. It is not an easy process," Oskanyan said.
The CIS is particularly unpopular with the Georgian leadership, which would like to strengthen its ties with the West, join NATO and withdraw from the organization.
As well as Georgia, which is caught up in an ongoing diplomatic row with Russia, other CIS members, notably Ukraine, have criticized the organization as being ineffectual, and a vehicle for promoting Russia's interests.
Moldova's leader has questioned the organization's future, and last year Turkmenistan ceased to be a full member.
Oskanyan said the organization needs not only to reform its structure, but its agenda as well, and that first of all it is necessary to determine a definite direction that takes into account the actual potential of its member states.
"Only in that case can we count on efficient reforms," the foreign minister said.
He added that Armenia has been actively involved in the process of CIS reform, as it wants the organization to be a strong regional structure.
"Armenia actively participates in the process of CIS reforms, and we believe that, as a result, relations between member-states will rise to a new qualitative level, the CIS will transform itself into an effective, integrated structure, and that consequently the international authority of the Commonwealth as an influential regional organization will improve," the minister said.
