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Ukrainian Security Council Backs Suspension of Kiev's Participation in CIS

KIEV (Sputnik) – Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council said that it supports a proposal to suspend the participation of Ukrainian representatives in the Commonwealth of Independent States' bodies.
Sputnik

"The council also supported proposals on a suspension of the participation of Ukrainian representatives in activities of the Commonwealth of Independent States' bodies, ordering the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to take due steps regarding the suspension of some intergovernmental agreements," the statement read.

Earlier, at the beginning of the NSDC meeting, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that Ukraine would halt its participation in CIS coordination bodies and asked the country's foreign ministry to prepare appropriate proposals for recalling Ukrainian representatives.

"We cannot get out of it (the CIS), as Ukraine is not in it. But we will stop participating in the coordination bodies of the CIS," the president said.

READ MORE: Poroshenko Orders to Start Procedure of Ukraine's Official Withdrawal From CIS

Russian Envoy: Ukraine to Lose Large Export Market After CIS Exit
Earlier in March, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry already drafted a proposal to pull out from the constituent bodies of the CIS and tear up a friendship and partnership pact with Russia.

The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization established by former constituent republics of the Soviet Union in the 1990's. The group aims to develop economic, political and cultural cooperation.

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