Russia-Belarus: still arguing

President of Belarus Aleksander Lukashenko started speaking about good feelings to Russia again.
After a number of scandals in winter, 2003 about Russia's supplying gas to Belarus the relations between the two countries declaring intentions to establish a union, deteriorated for long. However, the speech of Byelorussian President at the meeting of the Parliament demonstrated that Mr. Lukashenko believed that the disputes between the two countries had remained in the past.

”Belarus wants to live with Russia not for the sake of some benefits, but just because of the desire to be together”, said President Lukashenko to Byelorussian Parliament, RIA-Novosti reports.

According to Byelorussian President, Belarus is not turning to the West, and those believing in friendship between Belarus and Russia and in the unity of the union between them, can sleep well.

However, the issue of Russia’s supplying gas to Belarus was brought up by President Lukashenko again when he complained about “some Russian politicians and media” who consider the relations between the two countries only in terms of finance,

”If you gave up to Russian oligarchs, for example, your Beltransgas company at cheap price, then you are a friend, if not, you are not a friend”.

The President of Belarus seemed to reconcile himself with the idea that the relations between the two countries will be based on economic principles. But Mr. Lukashenko still criticized his Russian counterpart.
According to Aleksander Lukashenko, he was surprised that Russia considers establishing the union in terms of taking over Belarus. This is about the offer of Russian President Vladimir Putin made in St. Petersburg to Aleksander Lukashenko during negotiations two years ago. Vladimir Putin offered Belarus to join Russia as one of Russian regions to speed up the process of unting the countries. Byelorussian President rejected this option. “Anschluss and union are two different things”, Aleksander Lukashenko said, and added that “the life did not lead us to this union so far”.