EXPERTS: RUSSIAN-BELARUSSIAN UNION LIKELY
MOSCOW, May 25 (RIA Novosti) - The Kremlin has given the go-ahead to a unified Russia and Belarus, a political project stuck in controversy for the last decade, the Russian weekly Politichesky Zhurnal reported. Below are Russian analysts' comments on the prospects of unification.
Mark Urnov, president of the Ekspertiza foundation:
"The project of a united Russian and Belarussian state loosens soil for a new state system extending the terms of office of incumbent leaders. This is a 2008-oriented project [in 2008, Russian President Vladimir Putin's term limit will expire]. To implement it, however, an agreement between Vladimir Putin and [Belarussian President] Alexander Lukashenko is needed since the latter will hardly keep a high profile in a union state. Lukashenko faces certain problems in domestic, as well as foreign policy, since Putin cannot determine a successor. This could drive the presidents towards a deal.
"Moreover, most Russians will surely approve a merger with Belarus. The people just aren't thinking about how it will affect Russia financially."
Pavel Borodin, state secretary of the Union State of Russia and Belarus:
"A recent series of meetings between the Russian and Belarussian presidents has demonstrated not only our approval of, but also our overwhelming support for, interstate integration into a united country. Issues like a united currency, union property and united customs services are likely to be resolved before the year is out."
Sergei Markov, Director of the Institute for Political Studies:
"Relations between Russia and Belarus have been much stimulated lately by processes outside both of these states. Now there is a threat of an anti-Russian regime coming to power in Belarus to involve the country into an anti-Russian coalition and block Russia.
"This gave a new impetus to the integration of the two countries, clearly seen in a raised union budget and recent work on a united currency. If Lukashenko's dealings with Putin result in securing a place for the Belarussian elite in a new state, Russia and Belarus will definitely become a unified state. The decision may have been made already."
