Bagapsh: Abkhazia Wants CIS Membership

Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh said that a priority of the breakaway region’s foreign policy will be membership in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and closer ties with Russia, Interfax news agency reported on May 4.
 
“We will push forth the issue of Abkhazia joining the CIS. I think we will have already raised this issue by the end of this year,” Bagapsh said.
 
He also stressed that Abkhazia adheres to its policy of becoming an “associated member” of the Russian Federation.

The Abkhaz leader’s statement about the CIS comes after the Georgian leadership hinted Georgia may quit the organization.