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Putin: Russia to weather economic crisis

(chinadaily.com.cn/Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-05 14:07

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin defended his policies in coping with the impact of the global financial crisis Thursday, and denied widespread speculation by Western press that he might seek a return to the pinnacle of Kremlin power as a third term President.

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin answers questions during his annual question-and-answer session with the Russian people in Moscow, December 4, 2008. Putin vowed on Thursday that Russia would come through the global economic crisis with "minimal losses" and pledged not to allow a sharp devaluation of the rouble. [Agencies]

In a three-hour live broadcast, Putin faced a barrage of questions from Russians who are increasingly worried about the decline in the value of the ruble, unpaid pensions and rising joblessness.

Putin still enjoys enormous popularity in Russia, because he is experienced, energetic and insightful on where Russia will go. During his tenure as Russian President, the standard of living reached historical heights as Russia was boosted by a decade-long economic boom.

At the beginning of the broadcast, Putin placed responsibility for his country’s current economic woes, squarely on the United States. “The crisis began in the United States, whose financial and economic policies led to the crisis that infected the economies of practically all major countries of the world,” he said.

However, Putin did not forget to send an olive branch to U.S President-elect Barack Obama during the question-and-answer event. “We are really counting on this (Obama’s election) being a positive change.”

Putin was less accommodating of Ukraine and Georgia, two former Soviet republics that have become staunch foes of Moscow.

He praised NATO’s decision this week to put off granting Ukraine and Georgia a concrete time frame for joining the world’s largest military alliance.

He said Russia would continue to insist that Ukraine pay back some $2.4 billion in debt on Russian natural gas shipments, and did not rule out a cut in supply if Ukraine failed to comply.

And Putin again blamed Georgia for starting the war with Russia in August. He said Georgia’s leaders were responsible for effectively losing two Georgian separatist enclaves, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, at the heart of the Russia-Georgia conflict.

On how to deal the “difficult times” of economic crisis, Putin said pensions would grow by 34 percent next year, and made guarantees that salaries and other benefits would remain stable.