Putin repeats criticism of U.S. policy
By Clifford J. Levy Published: October 18, 2007
MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Thursday used a three-hour session answering questions from everyday Russians to reiterate his criticism of the Bush administration's missile-defense plan, its stance on Iran and the Iraq war.
Putin also waded into domestic issues, trying to tamp down fears of rising inflation and saying that he wanted a powerful Parliament in place after elections in December. But he did not offer any hint about whom he would endorse to be his successor as president when his term ends next year.
Putin announced this month that he would lead the party that he created and that dominates the political landscape, United Russia, in the parliamentary elections and might possibly become prime minister.
As he has in previous years, Putin displayed a detailed knowledge of numerous topics as he spoke before a live television audience and answered questions from Russians around the country - some delivered live, some phoned in or sent by e-mail.
Officials said more than 2.5 million questions were submitted, of which the president answered more than 50. The questions were screened in advance, and while many people expressed serious concern about specific issues - from housing to the cost of food to the quality of health care - none were overtly hostile to Putin.
Although most questions focused on domestic matters, Putin was asked about foreign policy, and he often responded with criticism of the United States. Even as President George W. Bush has intensified his warnings to Iran over nuclear weapons, Putin said that dialogue was more productive than "a policy of threats, various sanctions or power politics." He described the Iraq war as "absolutely pointless."
Putin met last week in Moscow with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, attacking Bush administration plans to build parts of a missile defense system in Central Europe.
Speaking Thursday, Putin indicated that he thought the Americans were taking into consideration Russia's alarm about the system. But he noted that Russia was prepared to retaliate if changes were not made, although he did not say how.
"I assure you that such steps are being planned," he said, "and we will take them."
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran on Thursday disputed reports that Putin had made proposals to resolve the standoff with the West over Tehran's nuclear program during his visit this week, The Associated Press reported from the Iranian capital.
In a related development, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel made a surprise trip to Moscow to discuss Iran's nuclear program. He and Putin were also expected to discuss a reported arms deal that Russia is to sign with Syria, and Russia's role in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking efforts.
On Wednesday, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, said Putin had carried a "special message" that included the nuclear issue in talks with Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran's official press agency, IRNA, quoted Khamenei as saying he would give Putin's proposal serious thought before responding, though it gave no details on the proposal.
"We will ponder your words and proposal," Khamenei said, according to IRNA.
But IRNA reported Thursday that Ahmadinejad, when asked whether Putin had made a proposal on the nuclear issue, said, "Putin did not say any word." On the nuclear issue, "we both emphasized that we were determined to negotiate," IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.
"There was no nuclear proposal. Putin's message was a message of comprehensive cooperation and friendship," he was also quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars News agency.
Another semi-official press agency, ISNA, said that the "president rejected reports about a nuclear proposal by Putin in their recent meeting."
There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancies between the reports Thursday and Wednesday, or the diverging statements from Iran's supreme leader and the president. Calls to officials on Thursday were not immediately returned.
It was not clear whether Ahmadinejad meant that Putin had not presented a proposal to him or had not offered any proposal to Iranian leaders at all during his visit to Tehran. But the comments raised the possibility that Putin brought the offer directly to Khamenei, going over Ahmadinejad's head.
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