President Vladimir Putin of Russia dashed prospects for speedy progress on a proposed merger with neighbouring Belarus yesterday, telling Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko that the project required careful thought.
The two leaders, meeting in the Belarussian capital, Minsk, ahead of a summit of 11 former Soviet states, also signed the latest in a series of accords moving towards using the Russian rouble in both countries by 2005 and establishing a joint currency by 2008. Details of the introduction and use of the currency were still to be decided.
Mr Putin, however, appeared to pour cold water on Mr Lukashenko's long-held desire for the union to assume a greater political role.
"The creation of a union state demands the voluntary renunciation of a certain amount of sovereignty, so we first need to think 100, or 1,000, times and only then act," Mr Putin told reporters.
Mr Lukashenko, irked by Western allegations that last month's parliamentary election fell short of international standards, has said he might ask the mission of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to leave. He also promised tough action against those who threaten the established order.
Today's meeting of 11 of 12 heads of state of the post-Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States is expected to examine common policy on fighting terrorism and money laundering and setting down the legal base of the CIS.