Lukashenko Compromises Kremlin :: Charter'97 :: News

Yesterday’s meeting in Sochi between the presidents of Russia and Belarus proved a failure. Perspectives of the two countries’ unification are commented upon in an interview to APN by the vice-speaker of the Russian State Duma Vladimir Lukin.

According to Vladimir Lukin, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko’s inability to reach consensus came as anything but surprise to him: “I used to always say that for as long as Alexander Lukashenko retains power in Belarus, we can’t sign any serious agreements with him. And I got bitterly criticized for that. But I stand on that point anyway: while Lukashenko remains in power there, we can make only little steps forward in the sphere of economy, not hoping for anything greater than that.”

Lukashenko, says the vice-speaker, is pursuing one simple goal – the medieval power. There are no more objectives in his life as such. “At least, he wants to preserve current sway on power for as long as he lives, harboring illusions to extend his authority through the union state – that is to get Russia in control too. That’s what his politics is all about”.

As concerns the upcoming elections in Russia, Alexander Lukashenko can well provoke deterioration of relations between the two countries, blaming Russia for imperial ambitions and the like.

When asked about the perspectives of the merger, the vice-speaker replied the following: “If Lukashenko is still there, there will be no progress in this direction whatsoever. However, one shouldn’t really be too disappointed by that. The great Den Sao Pin used to say: “if some important problem can be solved, it must be solved. If it cannot, then leave it to the future generations, which will be smarter than us.”