Russia-Belarus Unification. Chosen Problems and perspectives of Union State (1999-2008)

Russo-Belarus Unification. Chosen Problems and perspectives of Union State (1999-2008). The main subject of the diploma thesis is cooperation between Russia and Belarus within the Union State of Russia and Belarus, which was established in 1999. After the break up of the USSR, cooperation between the newly independent states was largely defined by their membership in CIS. However, during the first five years an integration core emerged, consisting of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. These states were mainly cooperating in economic sphere, which finally emerged into international organization (Eurasian Economic Community). Belarus is one of the former Soviet republics, which kept and is still keeping very close relations with Russian Federation. Their bilateral integration begins after the breakup of USSR and culminates in 1999, when treaty of establishing Union State of Russia and Belarus is signed. During the almost 10 year period between 1999 and 2008, however, the cooperation did not move forward as was originally planned. In my opinion, the main topics which delay effective Russo-Belarus integration are as follows: prices for energetic commodities (oil and gas) for Belarus; implementation of common currency - Russian ruble; and ratification of Constitutional Act of Union State...