Belarus-russia Union State Bodies To Adopt Declaration On Further Integration

The Supreme State Council of the Belarus-Russia union state will adopt, as expected, a declaration on the further integration of the two states. The information department of the Permanent Committee, the council's working body, announced this today in connection with the forthcoming session to be held in Moscow on December 26th. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Loshchnin had previously stated during a visit to Minsk that the draft declaration would be prepared on the basis of the thoroughly inventoried existing legal base of the union state. Political issues concerning the development of the union state will be included on the session's agenda, which will be attended by the heads of state, government and parliamentary leaders of both countries. The main questions to be discussed will concern how decisions taken by bodies of the union state are being implemented, as well as the implementation of this year's budget and the draft budget for 2002. In addition, the session's participants will consider a draft constitution, elections to a union parliament and forecasts for the union's social development up to 2005. The members of the Supreme Council will also be presented with a report on the course of joint action in foreign policy and a draft military doctrine. Moreover, the issue of demarcating the union's foreign borders will be raised, as will plans for joint measures to deploy regional troop units.