Ukraine gives up CIS chairmanship

KIEV - Ukraine has decided to relinquish its chairmanship of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and was pondering a possible withdrawal from the bloc, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

"Ukraine reserves the right to consider its further participation in the CIS," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Eugene Perebiynis told a media briefing here.

According to him, Kiev in its position presumes that some CIS countries do not adhere to their commitments concerning respect for the territorial integrity of each other, inviolability of borders and cooperation in ensuring international peace and security.

The CIS, founded in 1991 as a regional association of former Soviet republics, groups Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

Ukraine, took over the rotating CIS chairmanship from Belarus on Jan. 1, 2014.