How Vladimir Putin Reconciled with Alexander Lukashenko :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarus counted on this visit a lot, which is quite understandable, as far as only a few foreign leaders visit the country. The analytical program of the local TV ran a long report on how Minsk was preparing to meet the Russian president. According to the presenter, the financial expenditures could be compared only with George Bush’s coming (though president Bush has never been in Minsk).

From the very beginning the Belarusian side proposed to Vladimir Putin to hold personal meeting with Alexander Lukashenko and even gave it great publicity. Vladimir Putin declined to do so. Then Belarusians started begging for a personal encounter. A day prior to his coming to Minsk their pleadings turned desperate. However, when the plane with the Russian incumbent on board touched down in Minsk, the problem solved on its own. The president of Belarus invited him to his “Drozdy” countryside residence, where they ate dinner and talked. Later Alexander Lukashenko numerously recalled this pleasant moment, adding that they almost chatted till midnight. However, the Russian side claims that their conversation lasted for no more than an hour. In this situation any of the sides could prove right, depending on what each of them wanted to emphasize.
Next morning there opened formal negotiations in a one-to-one format, which were really brief. Then there followed a session of the Supreme Council of the union state. The daily agenda contained ten items, one of them being the union budget-2003 (rapporteur Pavel Borodin), preparation of the draft constitutional law, cessation of the activities of the committee for security (rapporteur Nikolai Patrushev, Russian FSB chief), operation of the regional grouping of armed forces (rapporteur Sergei Ivanov, Russia’s Defense Minister), concept of the union state’s social development (rapporteur Alexander Pochinok, Minister of labor) and, last but not least, “about the monetary reward and bonuses to the state secretary of the union state” (rapporteur Alexander Pochinok).
As a result, Pavel Borodin’s salary was twice lifted in size, reaching the level of the Vice-President of the Russian government. According to rough estimations he’ll be getting some 35-40thsd rubles a month, which is more than enough for him.
In the aftermath of the session, both incumbents attended the press-conference, where they expressed moderate optimism:
- I’m very satisfied, - said Alexander Lukashenko. But then he added this: At least we covered the whole spectrum of issues.
And once again reminded the audience that they almost talked until midnight.
The Russian president also looked pleased this time. He said that on January 1, 2005 both countries would introduce common currency – Russian ruble, provided they reach an agreement concerning the common emission center. Yesterday Alexander Lukashenko confessed that there would be only one such center.
Certain progress has been made in the formation of the unique gas transportation and distribution system. A decision on the creation of the joint venture in this sphere, as pointed out by the Belarusian president, had already been passed and therefore must be fulfilled.
- Yesterday we talked for a while, - once again reiterated Lukashenko: and so we pondered: what else did we not do for the good of the union state? What?
Finally they realized that they had done everything, which was in their human power.
- So now it is the governments and heads of banks, which got to work hard, - concluded Alexander Lukashenko.
Meantime, the Belarusian president, when answering a question on the migration cards for Belarusians traveling to Russia, posed to Vladimir Putin, said the following:
- Russians are people indeed for us.
He unambiguously hinted that Russians must return his politeness and make compliments to him too.
- People they are! – added he: No matter from where they come: Yakutia or even Chechnya.
Then he recalled how he gave shelter, though for a short while, to the homeless fugitives from Chechnya, who aspired to travel to Poland, which denied them entry visas. However, he took the problem under personal control and Poland finally consented to let them all in. Why on earth should he feed them for so long?