Russia-Belarus Relationship

sepheronx wrote:Kremlin to clarify Lukashenko’s arguments about airbase in Belarus

Looks like more military pressure on Luka is necessary.

sepheronx wrote:

GarryB wrote:Meh... let the people of Belarus decide... it is not for Putin or anyone here to decide one way or another... that is one of the main things that annoys me about Washington and Brussels... they think they know best but only view things from their own perspective.

I think Belarus would benefit from closer ties with Russia and unification in a few years could be on the cards, but that is only for Russia and Belarus to decide with no outside interference.

Somewhat agreed.  But Russia is facing an issue where Belarus is acting quite out of control lately and there is a growing issue of discontent in Belarus between Russians and Belarussians even though they are quite close to each other but the fact that only support for Russia in Belarus is roughly only 55% or so is quite sad, especially for a country that relies almost half of its exports to Russia and more than half on imports, it is going to be a real problem for them, especially if Lukashenko keeps this up.  They can decide, but Russia cannot really afford to have another country at its borders potentially hostile.  And US and its cronies will take full advantage of such a system, and what next? Based in Belarus aimed at Russia?  Is that something Russia can afford?  That would effectively mean for Russia to what? Close its borders entirely in the west where there isn't 1 single none hostile nation that isn't willing to suck the big one from the west?  Very very very dangerous and as much as they have a right to decide, they must also be heavily ready to face any consequences of their actions.

Nah you got to understand Luka, the guy is your good cop, while Vova is the Bad cop (and chief boogeyman). It isn't difficult to understand.
Luka says something to stay relevant, while in reality both guys are just laughing it up, think about Minsk in February. Lukashenko will get deposed anyway, be that in friendly fashion (look at early Ukrainian elections) or in unfriendly fashion with pro-Russians and Pro-Europeans kicking and punching eachother. The problem with Belarus, unline Ukraine is that the country isn't in the gutter. It isn't your Czech Republic, but is in quite good shape if serious reforms would take place. Especially long term industrial reforms.
Same for the deployment non-sense. Belarus, isn't country 404, it has no intention of getting rid of a whole part of its industrial sector. Unlike Ukropia, they will move more to the center, but there know Russia is easy money, no one spits on easy money, not even Ukropistanis.

So is Lukashenko trying to balance between the pro-Russian and Maidanite fraction of Belarussian population?

Which one is stronger atm, pro-Russian or pro-Western/Maidanite fraction?

The key is, as always, which side will the young radical part of the population take. They will always win these battles even if they are outnumbered, because they are willing to act and commit violence. Is Lukashenko fearing that if he will grant Russia a military base in Belarus then the Maidanite radicals will start a rebellion?

Project Canada wrote:Russia should mirror American NGOs and set them up in countries like Belarus to promote pro Russian and anti US+NATO sentiments among the locals

Yes but Russia generally sucks at soft power.

sepheronx wrote:

Karl Haushofer wrote:So is Lukashenko trying to balance between the pro-Russian and Maidanite fraction of Belarussian population?

Which one is stronger atm, pro-Russian or pro-Western/Maidanite fraction?

The key is, as always, which side will the young radical part of the population take. They will always win these battles even if they are outnumbered, because they are willing to act and commit violence. Is Lukashenko fearing that if he will grant Russia a military base in Belarus then the Maidanite radicals will start a rebellion?

Clearly the pro Russian has most currently. The so called mass protests the west was saying that protested against the military base, that was held in Minsk, garnered around 1000 people in a city of 2 million.  But Belarussians as a whole seem to want best of both worlds and we know that doesnt work as we have evidence of Yugoslavia and the current surviving countries of it.

Guess if Russia wont intervene through NGO's and what not, then best option is to hope and see if Belarussians are any smarter than Ukrainians. Because it should be obvious to them the damage that was caused in Ukraine, to its fleeing population, and its destructive economy.

What are the chances American NGO's would turn average Belarussians into blood thirsty Maidanist Zombies?? I fear that if they continue their relentless efforts at propaganda they would infect alot more people in Belarus and turn them against Russia. After Luakshenko, RF should really look into the possibility of incorporating Belarus into the Federation

Isn't there a strong pro-Polish sentiment in Belarus? It may be a minority, but if it can be radicalized, trained and armed by the West who knows what they can achieve?

Karl Haushofer wrote:So is Lukashenko trying to balance between the pro-Russian and Maidanite fraction of Belarussian population?

Which one is stronger atm, pro-Russian or pro-Western/Maidanite fraction?

The key is, as always, which side will the young radical part of the population take. They will always win these battles even if they are outnumbered, because they are willing to act and commit violence. Is Lukashenko fearing that if he will grant Russia a military base in Belarus then the Maidanite radicals will start a rebellion?

There's no Maidan shit in Belarus, it is a completely different affair than Maidan. The idiots who would like to start "nationalist" shit, have been taken over by Luka himself. Unlike Ukropia, Belarus is quite nationalistic and people aren't obsessed with Russian Golodomoshit.

Not sure what kind of a dunce writes such reports but RuAF sends its aircraft to Belarus on a daily basis, not yearly or monthly or weekly but daily. There are de facto RuAF bases in Belarus already.

More importantly neither has Russia asked for a military base in Belarus nor has Belarus refused.

People publishing such news are the same people who are stating that Russian cruise missiles fell in Iran.

jhelb wrote:Not sure what kind of a dunce writes such reports but RuAF sends its aircraft to Belarus on a daily basis, not yearly or monthly or weekly but daily. There are de facto RuAF bases in Belarus already.

More importantly neither has Russia asked for a military base in Belarus nor has Belarus refused.

People publishing such news are the same people who are stating that Russian cruise missiles fell in Iran.

So where has this story come from?

Hmmmm

CIA testing the water in Belarus in preparation for Maidan 2.0 Belarussian version  

Belarus opposition holds rare rally

Belarus supported the UN resolution recognizing the nuclear facilities in the Crimea, as Ukrainian

even Kazakhstan supported the resolution, as an ally of Russia they should at least abstained from the vote imo

http://nnr.su/75218#hcq=2cNuCup

Leningrad Region, Belarus Aim for $700 Million Bilateral Trade

Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov said that, along with the socio-economic contacts, Belarus and the Leningrad Region are also moving closer on a personal level.

ST. PETERSBURG — Belarus and Russia’s Leningrad Region would like to achieve goods turnover of $700 million, Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov and Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko agreed at a meeting in Minsk on Monday.

Both parties noted during the talks that to date the level of trade achieved following the signing of a cooperation agreement between Belarus and the Leningrad Region is higher than what Belarus has with a number of partner countries. And, despite the exchange rate differences, the plan is to boost mutual trade to $700 million in the next three years, the regional government reported.

“We have agreed to aim for $700 million,” Mr Kobyakov said at the meeting.

The Belarusian Prime Minister stressed that, along with the socio-economic contacts, Belarus and the Leningrad Region are also moving closer on a personal level, and this visit by a group of the regional officials serves as a good reason to re-negotiate issues, identify potential goals and set off on a “path of sustainable growth” in mutual trade.

He added that Belarus has good experience in the processing industry. “I think we could go further than the simple exchange of experience and actually set up joint ventures to process farming products. The Leningrad Region has a well-developed agricultural sector. Many of our farmers are interested in contacts in Belarus,” Kobyakov said.

“We are actively engaged in logging; the equipment offered by Belarusian manufacturers has a competitive edge compared to others in terms of their “price-quality” ratio, and the variety of products has certainly been a pleasant surprise,” Mr Drozdenko said in turn.

The programme of the Leningrad Region governor’s visit also includes attending the sixth session of the joint commission on cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and the Leningrad Region, a visit to the Amkodor holding company and Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War.

The cooperation between the Leningrad Region and the Republic of Belarus is regulated by an agreement between the Government of the Leningrad Region and the Belarusian Government on cooperation in trade, economic, science and technology, and cultural cooperation, signed in May 2006, as well as by cooperation agreements with Minsk, Gomel and Vitebsk regions of Belarus.

The partners have also drawn up three-year cooperation programmes to support the implementation of the latest agreement and to identify new promising areas of cooperation. Both sides are currently focused on the programme of trade and economic, science and technology, and humanitarian cooperation between the Government of the Leningrad Region and the Government of the Republic of Belarus for 2013-2015.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/business/20151124/1030663961/leningrad-region-belaurus-trade.html#ixzz3sQa0tpwq

Europe ends sanctions on Belarus, seeks better ties

Europe is now attempting to buy Lukashenko

Project Canada wrote:Europe ends sanctions on Belarus, seeks better ties

Europe is now attempting to buy Lukashenko

Lukashenko should grab all the money and investment that he can get from Europe, but beware of them and don't surrender any sovereignty to them.

Consultations over gas discount for Belarus will continue — Russia’s energy minister

According to Alexander Novak, Russia’s gas price for Belarus is now the lowest, based on "current agreements of 2011 and 2014"

MINSK, February 25. /TASS/. Consultations on gas discount for Belarus will continue, Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Thursday.

"The topic was brought up though no decisions were taken while related ministries were requested to continue consultations regarding the issue with respective economic entities," the minister said.

According to Novak, Russia’s gas price for Belarus is now the lowest, based on "current agreements of 2011 and 2014."

On January 13, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich and Belarus Vladimir Semashko held talks but failed to reach any agreements related to gas discount. According to Deputy Energy Minister Anatoly Yanovsky, no agreement was reached and the date of a new date was not set. Yanovsky added that it no longer concerns a 10% cut but implies concrete figures.

Deputy Energy Minister of Belarus Vadim Zakrevski previously told reporters that the Energy Ministry expected the price for Russian gas to be slashed in 2016 by more than $10 per 1,000 cubic meters. Although, he said, the acceptable price now is $142.37 per 1,000 cubic meters.


More:
http://tass.ru/en/economy/858972

Russia Not Planning to Give Belarus Gas Discount

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/business/20160513/1039556354/russia-belarus-gas-discount.html#ixzz48dPjgQJu

Lukashenko: Union state of Russia and Belarus covers long way

The Belarusian president said that Russia and Belarus had encountered an array of problems on their way to unity as well

MINSK, September 6 /TASS/. Belarus and Russia, which created a union state, did more than other post-Soviet states in building their unity, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in an exclusive interview with TASS Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman on Tuesday.

"Together with Russia we have done a lot, definitely more than the other post-Soviet republics or the former socialist countries, to preserve our unity so that our peoples do not feel bitter and offended after the USSR’s disintegration," Lukashenko said adding that many decisions had equated the Belarusians and Russians in their rights.

"We have moved away from an abyss, which could have divided the Belarusians and Russians in a dispute over the city of Smolensk," he added.

Lukashenko said it would have been wrong to talk exclusively about positive things in the Belarus-Russia relations.

The Belarusian president said that Russia and Belarus had encountered an array of problems on their way to unity. "Sometimes, Russia cut off oil and gas supplies or refused to allow our goods entering into its territory. Perhaps, we did not always behave ourselves in the right way though we did try not to anger or offend our ‘elder brother’," Lukashenko said. He believes that the two countries still have differences on some issues.

"We have covered a long way in order not to part and break our relations and remain close to each other in economy, politics and social life. It is a difficult path which we have covered with dignity though not without shortcomings and failures," the Belarusian president stressed.
Belarusian leader wants his people to be prosperous and 'strive to thrive'

Alexander Lukashenko hopes to see his fellow countrymen prosperous and wealthy in the foreseeable future.

"My dream is that people never fear of being short on money and not having enough to buy what they need. It is a nightmare, probably even in America, let alone Russia and other countries where people might be lacking, that’s natural," he said.

"And I hope that people in Belarus never suffer from that. This is my only idealistic dream," he said.

He stressed however that "people should do their best to provide for themselves."

"Can a Belarusian set a goal and provide for himself and his family, can he earn a living? Yes, he can," Lukashenko asserted. "And this is my dream to spare people in Belarus from worries about money. And I will do that.".


More:
http://tass.com/world/898229