I have discussed the event [Gustov's dismissal] with [Russian President] Boris Yeltsin.

I think he will provide exhaustive explanations in the near future. Reshuffles in your government are not good for the status and development of relations between our countries and not only that. Vadim Gustov was deputy prime minister in the Russian-Belarus joint government. Now Gustov has been dismissed and I do not know who is going to take over his duties. I will be happy if Sergei Stepashin is assigned the mission. I know Stepashin as a devoted supporter of unification between Russia and Belarus. We maintain good relations and confer on many issues. Still, a lot of time will be lost before a new person gets fully up on the situation and becomes able to perform effectively. This is why my general reaction on the reshuffle is very negative. As for my forecast, more reshuffles cannot be ruled out. After all, the government is a live organism."