Putin Reflects Upon His Legacy And Repudiates A Return To Cold War

PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin, playing down recent hawkish statements from Moscow, said yesterday Russia was not interested in a return to the Cold War.

Putins criticism of NATO expansion and US plans for a missile defence shield, plus Moscows decisions to rebuild Russias defence capability, have been trademarks of his presidency.

But in his last annual news conference before leaving the Kremlin in May, Mr Putin struck a more conciliatory note — though he restated Russias opposition to Western plans to let the Serbian province of Kosovo declare independence.

"To suppose that we aspire to return to the times of the Cold War is just too bold a supposition," Mr Putin told the news conference attended by hundreds of reporters in the Kremlins Round Hall.

"We are not interested in this. Our main tasks are internal development, the solution of social and economic problems of the country."

Russia was willing to work "towards the construction of a positive dialogue" with whomever won the US presidential election later this year and did not intend to target any country with its nuclear missiles except in "extreme necessity", he said.

Answering questions about what would happen after the Russian presidential election next month, Mr Putin said he never wanted to cling to power for life and would be happy to relinquish the presidency to his trusted ally Dmitry Medvedev, the overwhelming favourite to win the March 2 vote.

"There is a personal chemistry, I trust him," Mr Putin said. "This is a person to whom it is not shameful and not frightening to hand over the leadership of the country."

Mr Putin, a youthful 55, has said he would become prime minister in a Medvedev presidency but he rejected suggestions that he would be pulling the strings in future from outside the Kremlin.

"Dmitry Anatolievich (Medvedev) and I have worked together more than 15 years, and I would never have deigned to support a candidate for president if he needed coddling and advice on how to behave," Mr Putin said. "Hes a mature politician. I know how the head of states job is set up, and assure you that our relations will be quite harmonious. I will never step in for the head of the Government. I consider that damaging and counter-productive."

Russias constitution limits presidents to two consecutive terms, although Mr Putins domestic popularity led to calls from supporters for him to change the constitution and stay on, something he said he had never considered.

Speaking on a raised platform in front of a background decorated with Russias national colours and flanked either side by two giant television screens, Mr Putin began the news conference by reeling off statistics describing Russias economic boom, which has lasted throughout his eight years in the presidency. Real incomes, pensions and living standards had all risen dramatically, he said, though close attention needed to be paid to inflation, now running at around 12% a year.

"I do not see any serious failures," Mr Putin told a reporter.

"All the tasks we set ourselves have been achieved".

Officials said that a record 1364 journalists were accredited for the news conference, which was carried live on state television across Russia.

REUTERS

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