Head of Russia-Belarus Union says Putin will become its president in 2006

NTV Mir, Moscow
22 Jun 05

[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.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress