Azerbaijan, Baku, 15 August / corr. Trend I.Alizade / The Azerbaijani political scientists believe that Georgia and Ukraine's withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) will not cause collapse and inefficiency of the organization. "Georgia and Ukraine's activity at the CIS was of formal character and these countries did not seriously approach the organization," Hikmat Hajizade, a political scientist, said to Trend on 15 August.
The CIS was established in 1991 with the participation of 12 former Soviet countries. The Blatic countries, including Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, refused to join the CIS.
The Georgian Parliament made a decision to withdraw from the CIS on 14 August. A draft law on Ukraine's withdrawal from the organization was included in the Ukrainian Parliament's agenda. The Ukrainian legislative body will discuss the draft law on 1 September after return from holidays.
According to experts, pro-Western coalition, which comprises majority of MPs at the Ukrainian Parliament, will ensure official Kiev's withdrawal from the CIS.
"Armenia, Central Asia and Belarus, where Russia as great influence, will remain at the CIS and the organization will continue its activity," the political scientist said.
According to Hajizade, it is important for Azerbaijan to remain at the CIS. At present, none of organizations can substitute former Soviet area for Azerbaijan and it will remain so for a long time, he said. Although Azerbaijan is not represented at the organization's military union, it is cooperating with former Soviet countries in humanitarian, social, trade and economic field within the framework of the CIS, the political scientist stressed.
"The organization functions in two directions. One of them is aggressive military cooperation under the leadership of Russia, and other is cooperation in humanitarian, trade and economic fields. The second cooperation is more important amongst the former Soviet countries. The Azerbaijani citizens travel to the CIS countries without visa. Such cooperation is necessary for Azerbaijan. Therefore, I am against of the organization's collapse," he said.
According to Rustam Mammadov, a political scientist, under the CIS's regulation, participation of three countries are enough to establish the organization.
"Georgia and Ukraine's joint withdrawal does not mean that members of the CIS are less than three. Therefore, two countries' withdrawal will not lead to collapse of the organization. All countries should leave the organization for the collapse.
Official Tbilisi and Kiev's step testifies that there is political crisis at the CIS, he said.
There are not any reasons for Azerbaijan's hurry withdrawal, the political scientist stressed. The CIS countries, especially Russia is an economic supporter of Azerbaijan, Mammadov said. Therefore, the suspension of these relations is not economically suitable for us: "Break up of the relations can arouse crisis at the Azerbaijani economy."
According to Zardusht Alizade, a political scientist, the CIS is gradually collapsing. The reason of the collapse of the Russian policy, he said.
"Georgia and Ukraine's step will not cause the suspension of the CIS's activity in a short period. However, this organization, surely, will collapse in future. Currently, Azerbaijan will not hurry to withdraw from the CIS," Alizade said.
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