RIA Novosti, Russia
Nov 23 2006

Armenia’s foreign minister calls for active CIS reforms
15:53 | 23/ 11/ 2006

YEREVAN, November 23 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s foreign minister said
Friday that the loose union of former Soviet republics known as the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) needs reform to become an
effective, integrated structure.

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.