UPSC Prelims 2006 Q43: Current Affairs – International Organisations & Groupings
Which one of the following countries is not a member of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS)?
- (a) Armenia
- (b) Belarus
- (c) Estonia
- (d) Georgia
Answer: (c) Estonia
Explanation
Members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
| Country | CIS member? |
|---|---|
| Armenia | Yes |
| Belarus | Yes (founding member) |
| Estonia | No, a Baltic state that never joined the CIS |
| Georgia | Yes (at the time of the question) |
The three Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, did not join the CIS, which was formed in 1991 from other former Soviet republics.
Answer: (c) Estonia.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Armenia is a member of the CIS.
- (b) Incorrect. Belarus is a founding member of the CIS.
- (c) CORRECT. Estonia is a Baltic state and not a member of the CIS.
- (d) Incorrect. Georgia was a CIS member at the time (it left in 2009).
Key point
Estonia, like Latvia and Lithuania, never joined the CIS.
Remember
Estonia is not a CIS member.
Common mistakes
- Assuming all ex-Soviet republics joined the CIS.
- Not knowing the Baltic states stayed out.
- Forgetting that Georgia joined in 1993.
Exam tip
CIS excludes Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Sources
- Commonwealth of Independent States — Agreement Establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States (Minsk, 8 December 1991) and Alma-Ata Declaration (21 December 1991)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Commonwealth of Independent States