Belarus likely to join Russian, Chinese security grouping against NATO

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit today opened in the Tadjik capital of Dushanbe. On October 6, the heads of the states will hold the meetings of the Eurasian Economic Community and the Collective Security Treaty Organization. On October 7, the presidents will join Russian President Vladimir Putin in his birthday celebrations. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has refused to attend Putin's birthday festivities. Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko is not attending the summit. The CIS leaders are expected to focuse the concept of the further development of the CIS. Several bilateral meetings, including a randez-vous between Vladimir Putin and Belarus's Alexander Lukashenka, are scheduled to take place.

Experts suggest that Putin is to propose Lukashenka to continue the construction of the union state.Moscow wants to shape the "supreme state council", while Minsk would be responsible for the shaping of the council of ministers.

On Saturday, the Collective Security Treaty Organization is expected to sign a cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Security Organization.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization unites Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Russia, Tadjikistan and Azerbajan. The Shanghai security grouping includes China, Kyrgystan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Tadjikistan.

Russian experts hope that the Minsk-Moscow-Beijing axis will emerge in Eurasia as a counterbalance to NATO and GUAM, according to www.newsru.com