Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday he would support
First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to run for president,
the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.
Russian President
Vladimir Putin walks with First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry
Medvedev in the Kremlin in this file picture. (China Daily/Reuters
Photo)
"I have known him very closely for more than 17 years and I
completely and fully support this proposal," Itar-Tass quoted Putin
as saying.
Putin made the remarks while meeting with pro-Kremlin party
leaders of the United Russia, Fair Russia, Agrarian and Civil
Force, which jointly nominated Medvedev as the candidate for next
March's presidential election.
"We would like to nominate the candidate that we all support.
This is First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev," State Duma
speaker and leader of the United Russia Boris Gryzlov said in the
meeting.
Medvedev, who will be officially nominated for president at the
United Russia congress on Dec. 17, will continue consultations on
Monday and Tuesday with parties on his candidature for the March
2presidential election, Gryzlov said.
The support of four parties for a single candidate meant there
was a realistic chance of building a stable government in Russia,
RIA news agency cited Putin as saying.
The Russian stock market has hit new highs following reports
about Medvedev's nomination.
Russian President
Vladimir Putin (L) walks with First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry
Medvedev in a Kremlin corridor before a meeting in Moscow June 8,
2006. (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)
Medvedev, 42, was promoted to the position of presidential chief
of staff in 2003 and took the post of first deputy prime minister
in 2005.
The presidential race formally kicked off in Russia on Nov. 28
when the date for elections to choose a successor to Putin was set
for March 2, 2008.
Under the constitution, the current president is forbidden from
seeking a third term. Putin has pledged to step down next year but
vowed to contribute to the nation after that.
(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2007)
