BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

11/2/2005

Russia, Belarus take 2nd look at union

MOSCOW, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Russia and Belarus are once again considering joining into a single state, the St. Petersburg Times reported Monday.

A joint commission of officials from the two countries said they plan to write a draft constitution by mid-November that would be presented to voters for ratification.

Critics say the unification plan, on hold for years, is the work of officials nostalgic for the Soviet Union. There also are suggestions it is a way to allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to remain head of state after 2008, when he must step down under the Russian constitution.

Vladimir Pribylovsky, head of the Panorama think tank, told the newspaper the union would not help Russia decide who should rule after Putin.

"Putin would just get a symbolic job, since he would be a president of a union that doesn't mean anything.

Source:

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051101-114603-7456r