BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

19/01/2007

Russia for Defense Unity with Belarus

Moscow, Jan 19 (Prensa Latina) Russia's Air Force is aiming to sign an agreement with Belarus on the creation of a Unified Antiaircraft Defense System, a source from that armed body revealed on Friday.

The chief of the Russian Air Force, Army Gen.Vladimir Mijailov, said that all documents are ready and he expects the agreement to be signed before the end of January.

The optimism of Mijailov contradicts versions of some local dailies that the Moscow-Minks hydrocarbon conflict would deteriorate military links between the two ex soviet nations.

Moskovski Konsomolets daily recently reported that Minsk wants Moscow to pay for the use of some military facilities in the territory of Belarus, including a submarine control center in Vileyka and a radar warning station in Baranovichi.

Source:

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7BCDC389F7-29A9-4B4B-B474-314B99C5BC05%7D&language=EN