Page "Commonwealth" Paragraph 28

The Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) is a loose alliance or confederation consisting of 10 of the 15 former Soviet Republics, the exceptions being Turkmenistan ( a CIS associate member ), Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Georgia.

Georgia left the CIS in August 2008 after a clash with Russia over South Ossetia.

Its creation signaled the dissolution of the Soviet Union, its purpose being to " allow a civilized divorce " between the Soviet Republics.

The CIS has developed as a forum by which the member-states can co-operate in economics, defense and foreign policy.