Russian President Vladimir Putin said in Moscow on Monday that
he will lead the government if First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry
Medvedev wins March's presidential election.
Putin made the remarks at a congress of the United Russia party,
which has nominated Medvedev as its presidential candidate.
"If citizens give a vote of confidence to Dmitry Medvedev and
elect him Russia's president, I will be ready to lead the
government," he said, pledging not to change the powers between the
president and government.
The United Russia officially nominated Medvedev, 42, as its
candidate for next March's presidential election at the
congress.
Putin said that Medvedev, also chairman of the gas giant
Gazprom, is the "best choice" of candidate for the election, when
he will step down due to the constitutional ban on serving a third
consecutive term.
"I believe that the choice is the most optimal, I'm certain that
Dmitry Medvedev will with honor cope with the work of the supreme
state post," Itar-Tass quoted him as saying.
The pro-Putin United Russia party, which occupies the majority
of seats in parliament, launched its presidential election campaign
at the congress, which was attended by some 2,000 delegates.
Last Tuesday, Medvedev pledged to continue Putin's policies
following the incumbent president's nod to his nomination by
pro-Kremlin parties, and hailed Russia's economic progress and
growing importance in the international arena under the leadership
of Putin.
Medvedev, a former law professor and close ally of Putin, was
promoted to the position of presidential chief of staff in 2003 and
took the post of first deputy prime minister in 2005, following in
Putin's footsteps.
Medvedev was reappointed to the same position on Sept. 24, 2007,
in a government reshuffle, and was placed in charge of the economy
and social development affairs covering public health, education,
housing and agriculture.
(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2007)
