ister Vyacheslav F. KEBICH (since NA April 1990), First Deputy
Prime Minister Mikhail MYASNIKOVICH (since early 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
Belarusian Popular Front, Zenon POZNYAK, chairman; United Democratic Party,
Stanislav GUSAK, co-chairman; Social Democratic Gramada, Mikhail TKACHEV,
chairman; Belarus Workers Union, Mikhail SOBOL, Chairman
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
President:
NA
Supreme Soviet:
last held 4 March 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (360 total) number of seats by party NA; note - 50 seats
are for public bodies
Communists:
NA
Other political or pressure groups:
NA
Member of:
CE, CIS, CSCE, ECE, IAEA, ILO, INMARSAT, IOC, ITU, NACC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Martynov; Chancery at NA NW, Washington, DC 200__; telephone NA
US:
Ambassador (vacant); David SWARTZ, Charge d'Affaires; Embassy at Hotel
Belarus (telephone 8-011-7-0172-69-08-02) plus 7 hours; (mailing address is
APO New York is 09862); telephone NA
Flag:
white, red, and white

:Belarus Economy

Overview:
In many ways Belarus resembles the three Baltic states, for example, in its
industrial competence, its higher-than-average standard of living, and its
critical dependence on the other former Soviet states for fuels and raw
materials. Belarus ranks fourth in gross output among the former Soviet
republics, producing 4% of the total GDP and employing 4% of the labor
force. Once a mainly agricultural area, it now supplies important producer
and consumer goods - sometimes as the sole producer - to the other states.
The soil in Belarus is not as fertile as the black earth of Ukraine, but by
emphasizing favorable crops and livestock (especially pigs and chickens),
Belarus has become a net exporter to the other republics of meat, milk,
eggs, flour, and potatoes. Belarus produces only small amounts of oil and
gas and receives most of its fuel from Russia through the Druzhba oil
pipeline and the Northern Lights gas pipeline. These pipelines transit
Belarus enroute to Eastern Europe. Belarus produces petrochemicals,
plastics, synthetic fibers (nearly 30% of former Soviet output), and
fertilizer (20% of former Soviet output). Raw material resources are limited
to potash and peat