Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze unleashed criticism of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) at the parliamentary assembly of the CIS member states in St. Petersburg on November 16, describing the organization as ineffective.
In her address, Burjanadze also criticized Russian peacekeeping forces stationed in Abkhazia under the CIS aegis and said that these forces have facilitated the ?further freezing of conflict.?
But she also indicated that Georgia has no plans yet to quit the organization.
?I wanted to talk about the successes that should have been achieved in the resolution of conflicts and in CIS development. But is there any reason for this? None of the founding principles of the CIS work in practice. How can we talk about the effectiveness of the CIS when there is not even a mention in the agenda [of the CIS Parliamentary Assembly] about the fact that two CIS member states [referring to Georgia and Russia] are on the verge of war. How can we speak about the effectiveness of this organization if the CIS does not undertake any measures to resolve tensions between the two countries,? Burjanadze said while addressing the CIS parliamentary assembly.
?There is an opposition member in the Georgian delegation here in this chamber, a member of the opposition parliamentary faction [MP Davit Berdzenishvili of Democratic Front faction]. This is the faction that has initiated a proposal on Georgia?s withdrawal from the CIS. Tell me, please, what are the arguments through which I can prove to my colleagues that withdrawal from the CIS will not bring any benefit? For the ruling party [National Movement], as well as for me personally, it was very difficult to provide any argument to my opponents in order to prove that there is no need to quit the CIS today. But my presence here and the decision of the Georgian President to participate in a summit of the CIS leaders means that Georgia?s major goal is to use all the available diplomatic and political means to find a solution to very difficult problems existing in the CIS and in Russo-Georgian relations,? she said.
?Why does the CIS keep silent when one of its members threatens another member state? Why there is no reaction when the Russian commander of the air forces nearly stated his readiness to carry out a bombardment of Georgia? If today it is Georgia, is it not possible that any other member of the CIS may find itself in a similar situation? Active support by the CIS could have helped Russia and Georgia to find common interests and solve the problems, but unfortunately the CIS has chosen to remain an observer. Unfortunately, the CIS peacekeepers have failed to solve anything in the conflict zones. The CIS peacekeepers are ineffective; moreover they are facilitating the further freezing of the conflicts in Georgia,? Burjanadze added.
In a response, Chairman of the Russian Federal Council, Sergey Mironov, told Burjanadze that her ?frank? criticism and an opportunity to speak out about Georgia?s complaints was an argument in favor of the CIS.
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