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the talks about the details of the union would take place next week according to PRIME-TASS agency.

Obviously, I'm very pleased.

This is something that, despite what the ultra-nationalists say, is very necessary. The economies of the three countries depend on each other so much, the people are so connected throughout history...

I think it can bring only good results.

Hopefully Kazakhstan will join the union soon, too. That would provide even greater economic benefits.

Eric,

definitively. I am looking forwards to the talks <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Excellent idea! Belarus, There is popular support in Belarus, Russia & Ukraine for this union. George Sorus may help finance it, why may explain why he why nationalists threw liquids at him at a recent meeting in Ukraine.

http://www.cdi.org/russia/222-8.cfm

RFE/RL Newsline
September 12, 2002
PUBLIC OPINION, UNIONS, AND NATIONALISM IN THE THREE EASTERN
SLAVIC STATES
By Taras Kuzio
Dr. Taras Kuzio is a resident fellow at the Centre for Russian
and East European Studies and adjunct staff in the Department
of Political Science, University of Toronto.
The public disagreement in recent months over the future of
the Belarus-Russia Union gives rise to two questions. First,
what value do opinion polls and public sentiment have in the
three eastern Slavic states of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus on
issues such as unions with neighboring states if those
expressions of popular preference have little relationship to
the realm of the possible and elites are unwilling to
implement them? Second, how can new unions be formed when all
three eastern Slavic states understand their relationship to
one another differently?
Since the disintegration of the USSR in December 1991, there
have been countless opinion polls conducted by Belarusian and
Ukrainian organizations as well as Western governments and
institutions that deal with foreign-policy preferences. These
polls invariably register strong support in all three eastern
Slavic countries for some form of union. In Russia and Belarus
this support is evenly distributed throughout the population,
while in Ukraine it is confined to its eastern regions.
But, can these sentiments be translated into policy? The gap
between the common people and the elites that dates back to
the USSR has grown, rather than shrunk, in the post-Soviet
era. Ruling elites still feel they have the sole right to
control issues of "national security" (i.e., foreign policy,
the military, control over the security forces). In all three
countries the militaries, which are mainly geared toward
dealing with external threats, have been downsized, while
internal-security forces have grown disproportionately.
These internal security forces are under the control of the
executive and their focus is on dealing with internal
"threats," such as that emanating from citizens who might wish
to increase their level of political influence. Internal
"threats" are seen as more threatening than external ones,
despite all the rhetoric about a Western and NATO threat to
Belarus and Russia or a Russian threat to Ukraine.
The ruling elites in the three eastern Slavic states take
little heed of domestic opinion on most matters, especially on
foreign policy. The local population understands this
perfectly well. Opinion polls indicate low levels of perceived
political effectiveness, and declining participation in civil
society (e.g., membership in NGOs, parties, demonstrations,
etc.,) throughout the 1990s.
What use then do opinion polls have in determining state
policies, particularly in areas of "national security?" It
would seem very little. Russian, Ukrainian, or -- as we now
see -- even Belarusian elites are not going to implement the
policies that logically follow from their citizens'
preferences as reflected in opinion polls.
Second, the growing dispute between Belarus and Russia over
their union project, launched in 1996, has failed to resolve
the dilemma of what kind of union is to be created. Russia's
view of its ideal relationships with Belarus and Ukraine
differs considerably from its view of its optimum
relationships with other former Soviet states. Belarus and
Ukraine are not "foreign" in Russian eyes, but temporarily
separated regions of one spiritual-cultural space within which
Russia is the "elder brother" and the Russian language the
language of modernity and culture, in contrast to the
Belarusian and Ukrainian languages, which Russians consider
remnants of the village and the past. Belarusian President
Alyaksandr Lukashenka has been willing to go along with this
conception, thereby reinforcing the Russian view of
Belarusians as essentially the same people.

I'm actually surprised you support the union. But really, I'm very glad that you do. It's been clear since the end of the USSR that these countries need each other - even Russia needs the other two.

Assuming the leadership is chosen and rules wisely, then only benefits can result. Each country has many aspects the others don't have, and putting all of them together will just create so many more opportunities.

I am also interested to hear how the state composition of the new union will be. Whether it will be organized like the USSR - one country with union republics, or more like a loose federation?

It's an interesting article, Carl.

Yes, many Russians do have a hard time considering Belarus and Ukraine "foreign". Not necessarily because they were all one country until very recently, but because the three are just so connected on so many levels - it like they really should belong together. And, except for nationalists, this view is often shared in Belarus, and even in Ukraine.

Hello guys! I'm new to this forum and so I post this message kinda late. I really want the (Soviet) Union to revive and I enjoy reading any info about the union. I read that Moldova, Serbia and Armenia also want to join the Union of Russia-Belarus. I'm posting this message because I want to ask you where I can find all the latest news about the Union. I don't think I will be visiting these Forums for a month and so I ask you to e-mail me instead with your reply. (alepu@mail.gr) Thank you in advance for your help and I apologise that my first post was a request.

Eric, please reply to Elias & also post it. I'm interested in this info. Thanks. Carl

Elias,

welcome to the forum! Look at the date of the message. It was a Foul's <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Day

Elias -

I received your email, but before I have a chance to answer it, I'll write a little something here.

Such a union will NOT be a "revival" of the Soviet Union. Instead, it will begin with a limited economic union, and eventually, if everything continues to go to plan (which is difficult), some legislative powers may be brought in. There already exists a joint Russian-Belarussian parliament IN ADDITION to the soverign parliaments of each nation. However, the duties of this new parliament are quite limited, of course, with no real jurisdiction in many matters.

Also, there is supposed to be a common currency introduced in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan either this year or next year, again, if everything goes to plan. Originally, this will be the Russian ruble. Whether something else will come along in the future, who knows. Although it's very unlikely it will have a name other than "ruble", since the currency has existed for a thousand years, and Russians would never accept something else.

During the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, Serbia expressed an interest in joining the Russia-Belarus union. This, of course, never happened. However, the current Serbian leadership perhaps is in a position to reconsider this, but unfortunately, I can't picture it actually happening. NATO considered Serbia still to be a rogue state, and Russia and the other countries don't want NATO to get mad at them, either. Especially now that NATO is literally at the borders of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. It would be dangerous.

Moldavia has also toyed around with the idea, to help its economy, which is the poorest in Europe. However, there is such a strong anti-Russian and anti-Ukrainian (and anti-Soviet) sentiment existing in Moldavia now that it would be completely impossible. You can't integrate a country with Russia where the people constantly hold demonstrations on the street expressing how they want nothing to do with Russia, and that Russia should be made to suffer for the past.

Actually, I think I answered this well enough, so I won't have to answer your email, unless there are further questions you have. Even then, better to ask them here, so everyone can read and have the opportunity to answer.