BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

Tuesday, 05 April 2005

Putin, Lukashenko & Solana

Contributed by David Ferguson

"We discussed a very wide range of issues on cooperation between various bodies of power and administration," said Russian President Vladimir Putin after a meeting with his Belarus counterpart Alexander Grigorevich Lukashenko. Trade growth between the two countries has reached more than 40%. But relations have been complicated by Belarus' growing reputation as Europe's last dictatorship. Has this hindered implementation of an agreement on introducing a common currency as from 1 January 2006? "We agreed to push back its introduction. We did not settle on a precise date," said Putin.

"We discussed the prospects for a common currency area and looked at examples of international practise in Western Europe and in other parts of the world. We talked about all of this in quite some detail. This is not a new idea. We once again reaffirmed today our commitment to going through with this project, which I consider to be of immense importance for integration and for the destiny, I would say, of the peoples of Russia and Belarus."

Putin says experts are continuing work on implementation. "Belarus, the Belarus President, are giving this question their attention, as is the Russian Federation. We will continue our work on this project. We are not talking now about a specific date for the common currency's introduction, but I hope that this will take place."

Lukashenko and Putin also turned their attention to gas network and tariff issues. "We agreed that our suppliers would keep to an agreement amongst themselves that entails the following provisions," said Putin. "The economic actors concerned have agreed that Gazprom will maintain prices for gas supplies to Belarus in 2006 at this year's level. In return, Gazprom's Belarus partners will do all they can to ensure Gazprom's operations on Belarus territory." Above all, Belarus will facilitate works on delivering gas to Western export markets. "We are talking about helping Gazprom obtain the relevant rights to land for building gas pumping stations, renting the land crossed by pipelines and a few other forms of administrative and economic assistance to help Gazprom carry out its export plans."

Lukashenko's visit came one day before that of EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana. A declaration by Solana's office yesterday harshly criticized Belarus for human rights offenses specifically mentioning imprisoned former Foreign Minister Mikhail Marinich. "The European Union remains convinced that there were political reasons for the trial of Mr Marinich, who was prosecuted following a dubious accusation and given a sentence which was in any event disproportionate," read Solana's statement.

Solana is currently meeting President Putin, and senior political leaders. Like Lukashenko, he has been invited to President Putin's dacha at Sochi, after which he will meet with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov. Last Friday, Lavrov, met Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn and Ferrero-Waldner for the EU-Russia Permanent Partnership Council in Luxembourg.

During the crisis in Kyrgyzstan, the Russian foreign minister Lavrov heavily criticized European meddling in the former Soviet republic. Russian officials fear statements by OSCE election monitors may have provoked the unrest. Lavrov, annoyed by the EU's growing influence in the region, and most especially by the new pro-European wind in the Ukraine, even accused EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana of having made 'counterproductive public statements that can be used by Kyrgyz opposition to increase tensions'.

Many thorny issues remain including the conflicts in Moldova and Georgia. The EU wants Russia to fulfill commitments to remove troops from Moldova as well as sign and ratify outstanding border agreements between EU Member States and Russia. Visa facilitation and readmission agreements are also on the discussion table. The EU continues to seek full implementation of the agreement reached with Russia last year to phase out by 2013 Siberian overflight payments charged to European Airlines.

Source:

http://www.euro-reporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=162&Itemid=1


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