MOSCOW, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin on Thursday held a question-and-answer session with the public,
his first as the premier and leader of the ruling United Russia party.
During the over-three-hour live program, Putin
answered a barrage of questions ranging from the ongoing global financial crisis
to the country's foreign policies.
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
answers questions during his annual question-and-answer session with the
Russian people in Moscow, December 4, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
Opening the meeting broadcast live on state
television, Putin said Russia's economic performance in 2008 is "good" despite
the global financial meltdown.
"In general, the results for the year are good,
despite the negative impact of the global financial crisis on the Russian
economy," he said.
The government previously had expected the GDP to
grow 7.5 percent in 2008, but an overall growth rate of 6.8-6.9 percent is still
good, Putin said.
The premier also forecast that Russia's inflation
would be 13 percent this year.
The high inflation rate is partly because of the
global financial crisis and the fact that the Central Bank and the Finance
Ministry were forced to inject a large amount of liquidity into the economy, he
said.
Putin believes that the country, with the third
largest gold and foreign currency reserves in the world, has every chance of
living through the hard times with minimum losses for the economy and citizens.
However, he said the nation should brace itself for a
difficult period. "We must be prepared morally, organizationally, financially
and even politically."
RUSSIAN-U.S.
TIES
Asked about how he saw the future of Russian-U.S.
ties, the head of government expressed optimism that relations with the United
States would improve after U.S. president-elect Barack Obama takes office.
"We hope very much that there will be positive
changes, and now we receive such signals," he said, referring to Obama's
reservation about NATO's eastward expansion as well as the deployment of a
missile shield in Central Europe.
NATO foreign ministers decided Tuesday in Brussels to
delay Ukraine and Georgia's admission to the Membership Action Plan, a key step
for entry into the military alliance.
The Bush administration is planning to deploy 10
missile interceptors in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic as part
of its European missile shield, which was strongly opposed by Russia. But Obama
has not committed to the missile defense shield in Europe.
The future U.S. leadership has indicated that
Russia's interests will be given more consideration in building bilateral
relations, Putin said.
"If these are not just words, if they are translated
into practical policy, we will respond accordingly, and our American partners
will immediately feel this."
The prime minister also ruled out possibility that
Russia would establish permanent military bases in Venezuela or Cuba, the
so-called backyard of Washington.
"There is no need to build permanent bases... If
necessary, we will be able to use these countries' ports to refuel and replenish
supplies for our warships," he said.
A shop keeper is reflected in a
television screen at an electronics shop in Veliky Novgorod during Russian
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's annual question-and-answer session with
the Russian people, December 4, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
RETURN TO
KREMLIN
Answering questions from the Russian citizens, Putin
also described President Dmitry Medvedev's proposal to extend presidential term
as reasonable.
"Longer office (of the president) is a matter of
taste to a certain extent. Yet I think this proposal is justifiable in such a
huge country as Russia," he said.
After the televised question-and-answer session,
Putin told reporters he would think about running for president again and make a
decision by 2012.
"The next elections are in 2012, meanwhile everybody
should toe the line. Let's not make a fuss," he said.
Both houses of Russia's parliament approved in
November constitutional changes extending the presidential term from four to six
years and the lower house term from four to five years.
Medvedev's proposal, which he made in his first
state-of-the-nation address on Nov. 5, was seen by some analysts as an attempt
to pave the way for Putin to return to the Kremlin.
However, in response to a question from the host as
to how he feels in the premier's armchair, Putin said he was happy in his
current post, dismissing speculation that he was planning a way to return soon
as president.
The premier also told reporters that his power tandem
with Medvedev was very effective.
