GEORGIA’S MEMBERSHIP IN CIS WILL DEPEND ON RUSSIAN POLICIES.

According to Georgian foreign minister Irakly Menagarishvili, Georgia "will leave the CIS if affiliation with it does not correspond with Georgia’s national interests." Tbilisi’s decision will depend on Russia’s policies toward Georgia, Menagarishvili said, adding that Shevardnadze had stated this at the CIS summit. The Georgian parliament yesterday narrowly turned down an opposition motion to include the issue on the current session’s agenda. The narrow margin means that many deputies of Shevardnadze’s ruling Georgian Civic Union supported the opposition motion. The chamber decided to refer the issue to the parliament’s presidium for discussion next week. The presidium will probably use the opportunity to demand changes in the functioning of the CIS with regard to Russian policies toward Georgia. (Russian agencies, October 25-28) Shevardnadze and the Georgian officials diplomatically credited Boris Yeltsin with the will and ability to resolve these problems.

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