Belarus, Russia in new row

A new scandal has burst out between Moscow and Minsk. The meeting of the supreme state council of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, scheduled for January 1 when Alexander Lukashenka was due to arrive in the Russian capital, has been cancelled, writes the Russian daily Kommersant. The sides have reportedly disagreed in their views on the development of a common state and have postponed the meeting for an uncertain term. The signing of a Russian-Belarus agreement on the united are defense system, scheduled for today, has also been postponed.

The office of Pavel Borodin, the state secretary of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, said that one of the sides raised several important issues that require an additional approval and the date of the state council's meeting to be put off.

The Russian newspaper reminds that the meeting of the supreme state council has been cancelled for the second time lately. Initially, it was scheduled for November 3, but after the meeting between Russian and Belarus presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Alexander Lukashenka on October 25 the press office of the Kremlin said the meeting of the state council was postponed for early December.

Ahead of the next meeting, there were hints both from Russia and Belarus that it would become "a crucial moment in the history of the Union State". At least one important document -- the agreement on the joint air defense system -- was expected to be signed. Additionally, it was assumed that the Constitutional Act of the Union State and a common currency would also be on agenda.