Head of Russia-Belarus Union says Putin will become its president in 2006 :: Charter'97 :: News

[Presenter] New unions were being built in Moscow today, and existing ones were being shored up: leaders of the member countries of the Eurasian Economic Community [EAEC] met in the Grand Kremlin Palace. The EAEC includes Russia, Belorussia [Belarus], Kazakhstan, Kirgizia [Kyrgyzstan], Tajikistan and also Armenia - as an observer. No major political decisions are expected from this meeting. Experts say it is a response of sorts to alternative meetings of [other] former Soviet republics within the framework of GUAM [Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova]. Vladimir Kondratyev reports.

[Correspondent] [Passage omitted: EAEC, and not CIS or Single Economic Space, appears to be the most viable integration platform in the region. Known details about the meeting.] Belarusian President [Alyaksandr] Lukashenka will be at the helm of the EAEC for the next year: [Kazakh President Nursultan] Nazarbayev has passed on this heavy burden. Lukashenka, however, is facing a more important task: to make sure he achieves union with Russia on his own terms.

[Pavel Borodin, state secretary of the Union of Russia and Belarus] We are a bit short of political will.

[Correspondent] What should it consist of?

[Borodin] It should be like it was before; convene the Politburo and say: we are holding a referendum in November; in January-February, elections to the parliamentary assembly of the Union State; and in the autumn of next year, elect president and vice-president.

[Correspondent] Who will be president then?

[Borodin] Well, you know-

[Correspondent] I mean, what does the constitution say?

[Borodin] Don`t prompt me with the answer! Of course it will be Putin because- Of course Putin, and Lukashenka [will be] vice-president.

[Correspondent] Does Lukashenka agree to this?

[Borodin] You know, even if he is loath to, he will still agree.

[Correspondent] The Belarusian delegation reacted sceptically to this statement. The Belarusian blueprint is presumably different.