— BELARUS:

Uniquely among the heads of government at Istanbul, President Alyaksandr Lukashenka wants to shed his sovereignty, or some of it. On November 26, he and Boris Yeltsin will sign a Treaty of Union that will tighten Belarusan links to Russia and pave the way for Yeltsin to assume the Union presidency next year. In Western eyes, Lukashenka has no legitimate claim to act for Belarus. His mandate as elected president expired in the spring; he remains in office under a constitution imposed by fraud and force. Lukashenka’s illegitimacy clouds the entire Union enterprise.