Posted on 10/01/2006 6:51:27 AM PDT by Lukasz
MINSK, Belarus Belarus' authoritarian president railed Friday against a proposed merger with Russia, warning it could lead to violence and disorder worse than in Russia's restive Chechnya region.
President Alexander Lukashenko's blunt remarks highlighted the rising tensions between the two ex-Soviet allies amid strained talks over natural gas prices.
Moscow and Minsk signed a union treaty in 1996 that envisaged close political, economic and military ties, but stopped short of creating a single state. The Kremlin, increasingly impatient about subsidizing Belarus' Soviet-style economy with cheap gas, has since proposed that Belarus be absorbed into Russia.
Lukashenko, who has vehemently opposed such a union, reiterated his stance during a 4 1/2-hour news conference Friday. "Even (Soviet dictator Josef) Stalin didn't go as far as that ... I don't want to be the first and the last Belarusian president," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Even dear batka Luka doesnt like Putins Russia LOL==
He wants to preserve Belorus national home. I won't blame him. Accually Putin especially give him unacceptable offers because Russia today don't want Belorus either. What she wants is they pay right money for russian energy. Today Russia needs only make money. Period.
As I remember I predicted that in last year.
This is good news - Democracy is taking a foothold. Russia looks like a bully. ..No surprise.
Lukashenko is already President for life in his small pond ... of course he doesn't want to give up his power.
North Korea has even had a falling out with China as of late. The North Koreans fired on Chinese and Russian border guards.
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