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New east Europe trade zone formed
MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with the leaders of three former Soviet states to rejuvenate economic links by creating a free trade zone. Russian television showed Putin with the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine on Sunday presenting an agreement to set up the zone among the four states -- all members of the largely moribund Commonwealth of Independent States. All stressed that the body, to be set up by September, was not intended to replace the CIS -- a loose grouping of ex-Soviet states widely accused of doing little to follow up on hundreds of decisions promoting political and economic integration. "I do not under any circumstances want to give the impression that we are creating a new four-strong body within the CIS," Ukrainian Leonid Kuchma said in televised remarks from the Kremlin. Belarusian Alexander Lukashenko, shunned in the West for crackdowns on Belarus's liberal opposition, was blunter in demanding closer cooperation. "We must offer greater liberty of movement for our goods," he said. "We understand that we are of no use to anyone except our own countries and peoples and will defend out markets in any way that we can." Putin said other states were free to join the grouping. The creation of the CIS in December 1991 by the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus led within weeks to the resignation of President Mikhail Gorbachev and the collapse of Soviet rule. But divergent interests and some states' reluctance to remain under Russian influence relegated the Commonwealth to a secondary role despite pledges to breathe new life into it. All four leaders had earlier laid wreaths outside the Kremlin walls at the tomb of the unknown soldier to mark the "Day of the Defenders of the Fatherland" -- the Soviet-era holiday marking the achievements of the army. Copyright 2003 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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