Georgian Parliament Wants out of CIS, President Shevarnadze Disagrees - 27 August, 2002

Eduard Shevarnadze, the President of Georgia, disagrees with the yesterday's decision of the republic's parliament to get out of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The President made a statement to this effect after meeting with his law enforcement ministers in the Pankisi ravine.

Mr. Shevarnadze said that such moves on the part of Georgia were 'premature and inadmissible'. He added that, 'The parliament may vote for it, yet such decisions are for the President to make'. The president also said that at this time he was against the withdrawal of Russia's peacemakers.

On Monday, August 26, the parliament of Georgia decided by a majority vote that the republic must quit the CIS and expel Russia's peacemakers from the conflict zone. The vote had been triggered by the alleged bombings of Georgian territory by Russia's aircraft.