BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

13/12/2007

Putin and Lukashenko not to discuss merging of two states

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Belarus to meet with President Alexander Lukashenko - the sign considered by many to be the first step forward the possible union of two countries.

But a Kremlin briefing paper released on Thursday opposed the suggestions, saying that that a constitutional act on merging Russia and Belarus is not on the agenda for a meeting, the AP reported.

Putin was said to try to become the president of a new state after he steps dowm as Russia 's leader.

But "despite information spread in the mass media, the question of a constitutional act of the union state is not on the agenda. No kind of discussion of this question is expected," said the paper circulated to media in Russia by the Kremlin.

Source:

http://english.pravda.ru/news/world/13-12-2007/102785-putin_state-0