Lukashenka: Russia likes “Union” Agreement No More

• 1.07.2008, 14:29

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has given an interview to “Komsomolskaya Pravda” newspaper. Reasoning about the future of “union state” of Belarus and Russia, he said in particular that inequality in this union would bring it to a collapse.

According to Lukashenka, the topic of the “union state” is hushed up by the Russian press on purpose. “I understand that briefing material had been sent about how one should write about the union. I know it very well and exactly,” he said.

As said by him, as time goes by, Russia “starts to dislike” the agreement signed in 1999. The “union” Constitution was offered for discussion, which as believed by Lukashenka, is “two times weaker” than the agreement. “We haven’t agreed. Then I told: guys, why adopt this constitution, when a person who would read its draft would say: guys, why are you offering us this fish tale, we already have an agreement which really makes our union a “union state”, the newspaper quotes the Belarusian leader as saying.

Then, Lukashenka said, other problems developed, with currency for instance. He explained that a single issuing centre was mentioned in the agreement of 1999. “But Moscow said no, there will be a Russian issuing centre, and you are to join it, connect to it…” the Belarusian leader said. Thus, as said by him, the main principle of construction of the union state, equality was contravened.

“Sooner of later inequality would bring it to collapse. We understand that, and Russia understands that as well. But apparently the “union state” is not good enough the Russian leadership for some reason, and Moscow started to depart from it,” Lukashenka said.