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2. WILL RUSSIA AND BELORUSSIA FORM A CONFEDERATION?
(Executive and Legislative Newsletter Nos. 1-2. In full.) 13 Jan 97

A draft treaty on Russia-Belorussia integration, which provides for the conversion of the Russian-Belorussian Community into a Union this April, will probably be discussed at an emergency session of the Belorussian parliament later this month.

Written for the most part by Oleg Rumyantsev, deputy executive secretary of the Russian-Belorussian parliamentary assembly, the draft treaty envisages the introduction of common citizenship. If this treaty is signed, the citizens of the Union will receive the right to elect a single parliament of the two countries. According to one source, the draft treaty provides for a stage-by-stage establishment of a confederation. In the first half of 1997 additional powers are to be granted to the Union and that will lead to the creation of common ministries and government departments. There is reason to believe that after its discussion in the Belorussian parliament, the document will be sent to the Community's Supreme Council and then it will be submitted to the presidents of Russia and Belorussia for approval. After that it will be submitted for ratification by the parliaments of the two countries.

Oleg Rumyantsev told a RIA Novosti correspondent that the draft treaty was aimed, above all, at promoting political integration of Russia and Belorussia. He said the document was the result of the April 2 framework agreement on integration of Russia and Belorussia, which provides for both economic and political integration of the two countries. It is political integration that will make a Russian-Belorussian union different from the CIS, Oleg Rumyantsev said.

It is now easier to predict the Russian parliament's position on ratification of the treaty. According to Rumyantsev, an overwhelming majority of deputies will vote for the proposed model of political integration. He made an official announcement that the draft treaty will be discussed by the next session of the Russian-Belorussian parliamentary assembly.