BELARUS DEFENSE MINISTER FAVORS UNION WITH RUSSIA.

The defense minister of Belarus, Lt. Gen. Aleksandr Chumakov (a native of Russia), stated yesterday that the "absolute majority" of the Belarusan military approve the planned union with Russia. Chumakov announced that a joint Russia-Belarus defense policy concept has already been worked out. However, talk of creating a joint command and unifying the armed forces would be "premature," he said. (Radio Minsk, April 30)

Yeltsin Returns to Moscow, Greets Russian Population on May Day.