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Putin Promises to Continue "Union" Consultations with Lukashenko This Week
Belarus: Russia as Liberator?
The need for Western realism on the "near abroad", the prospect for a symbiotic Russia-West partnership
by Ira Strauss
27 June 2002
It was an historic moment. Putin told Lukashenko that Belarus could not be an equal partner of Russia in a union state. Of course, it could be the 90th province of the Russian Federation. Or it could cooperate with Russia in a looser structure that would not undermine the capacity of the Russian state to act on its own. But either way, Belarus would not matter very much. It was the West that Russia needed to work with in order to modernize; Belarus would not be allowed to get in the way.
Putin Calls for the EU Mechanism to be the Blueprint for Russia-Belarus Unification
Documents detailing terms of unification suggested by Belarus rejected
by Victoria Whall
issued on 06.25.2002 (MST)
In answer to a question about the main differences and basis of unity between Russia and Belarus on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that unification should leave room for Belarus and Russia to enjoy sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right of veto. Complaining that the Belarussian plans for a union parliament were too vague, he proposed that the two neighbors follow the European Union's example.

Belarus Will Never Be Russia's Ninetieth Province
The Belarus president was especially irked by the Russian proposal to build the Union on the principles of a federation
by Natalia Grib, Boris Volkhonsky, Kommersant
issued on 06.20.2002 (MST)
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Wednesday, June 19, used very biting words in reply to President Vladimir Putin's recent statement criticizing the Belarus stand on the principles of building bodies of power of the Russia-Belarus Union. Declared Lukashenko: "Belarus will never become the ninetieth province of the Russian Federation. (At the moment, the Russian Federation is made up of 89 autonomous republics, territories, and regions).
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