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Following is the transcript of the Interview given by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Internet editions Gazeta.Ru, Strana.Ru and BBC on-line service.
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Vadim Malkin (Strana.Ru)
Hello Vladimir Vladimirovich. First of all we would like to thank you for accepting to grant us this interview and and for answering ours and our readers’ questions. Allow me to introduce the participants in today’s meeting. They are the chief editor of the Internet journal Gazeta.Ru, Vladislav Borodulin, international correspondent for BBC news Brigitte Kendell and myself Vadim Malkin, the chief editor of the regional edition of Strana.Ru. Also, an audience of tens of thousands of our sites’ readers our taking part in today’s meeting over the internet and are sending in questions. As a reminder, they can send questions until the end of the interview. Over 16 thousand questions have already been received.
Obviously we can only put a few of those questions to you today. We have tried to objectively select the most important (questions), those of most interest to the majority of our readers.
Vladislav Borodulin (Gazeta.Ru):
This is a rather unusual format. No journalist for any publication has ever had 15,000 questions but our readers can do that. Tell me please, what is your attitude towards the internet? How do you use this form of communication?
Putin:
I think the internet is a very promising forum for interacting, communicating and obtaining information. It's very interesting. I'm very interested in it, I have to say.
Unfortunately, I do not make much use of it myself because of inbred laziness, on the one hand, and on the other hand because I have plenty of other resources - a large staff of aides who do this as a job and provide me with a kind of ready product.
But I do make use of products from the internet. In particular, condensed versions of various internet publications such as Gazeta.Ru and others. I have all of this and I look through it, just as I do my daily postbag. I also make use of analytical press articles as well.
Gazeta.Ru:
And what about your family and your daughters?
Putin:
They use it (internet) a lot. Maybe too much, therefore their mum limits their time (on-line).
Vadim Malkin (Strana.Ru):
We are receiving very many questions on this topic. For example, Muscovites Aleksey Kotikov and Nikolay Gorshkov, Vladimir Benediktov from St Petersburg, Andrey Peremitin from Krasnodar, and also questions from Novosibirsk and even Toronto.
Do you think that that there is a need to replace a significant part of leading officials in central and regional authorities? If your answer is positive, what in your view could be the source for new cadres?
Vladimir Putin:
I would like to say, first and foremost, that it is impossible, it is impossible to achieve overnight a fundamental change in the situation in almost any sphere. ...Personnel work requires attention to what one is doing, a serious and professional approach. This is first.
Secondly, we have many well-qualified administrators, people who act and work, not through fear but due to their good conscience. These people are the majority. Using this opportunity, I would like to thank them for their work. But of course, modern demands require modern administrators, with the right level of knowledge and the ability to meet the challenges of our time. This work must be implemented systematically.
What reserve can there be? From just among those who use the Internet, because as a rule these are upwardly mobile people, young, energetic and well educated. But, if we are to be quite serious about it, then naturally these are young people first and foremost. Above all, these are young people who want to serve society, the state, who see in that a method of realizing themselves.
Bridget Kendall (BBC):
Vladimir Vladimirovich, I personally and the BBC as a whole are very glad that we have the opportunity to take part in this event. We also have thousands of questions. And my first question perhaps reflects the concerns of many people. This is from Jonathan Jones from Texas, USA, who asks: "What is more important to you? Democracy or the rule of law?
I would also like to add the following from Dmitry, who is 16 years old and lives in Nizhny Novgorod: "As a representative of the younger generation, I am very worried about the political situation in Russia. I understand that Communism will never be revived now, but in spite of that, some of the steps you have taken put me on my guard. What do you think, what path should Russia take in its development at the present time?"
Putin:
As far as the relationship or priorities in the area of democracy, on the one hand, and legality, on the other, are concerned, I have to say the question is slightly unusual because I think that, in the classical sense of the word, democracy is inseparable from legality.
If society is guided by the generally accepted rules set out in normative documents which are called laws, if these laws are adopted in accordance with democratic procedures, this then is a democratic society.
I think that to separate one from the other is inexpedient and harmful. So, one of our fundamental areas of work is to improve the legislative basis of the state and the country's judicial and legal system.
As for the possible concerns of some of our citizens or those living abroad who feel for our country, who worry about how the state will develop, I can say that for as long as I remain head of state, we will adhere precisely to democratic principles of development, we will develop the political structure of society, we will develop a civic society, we will strive to ensure that state institutions are under public control.
We shall be persistent and consistent in doing this. I am sure that this country simply has no other alternative but democratic development and market economy.
Yury Mukhin (Archangel, Northern Russia):
Vladimir Vladimirovich, what do you intend to do, how do you plan to raise the prestige of our army?
Putin:
We have been talking a lot about this in recent years. To raise the prestige of the army it must be made effective, the public must understand that it needs an army which serves the interests of the nation, of the whole of society, an army which defends the interests of the state. In my view society at present does have this understanding.
We should strive for our army to be highly professional, well trained, provided with modern equipment, and - beyond all doubt - for it to remain outside politics, so that the army - and the other power structures of the country - should be under the control of society.
All this taken together, combined with an suitable level of prosperity among servicemen, ought in my view to lead to an improvement of the situation in this sphere.
Vladislav Borodulin (Gazeta.Ru):
Vladimir Vladimirovich, now we will continually refer to our audience. This is not a ruse - questions keep pouring in. Taking into account the young age of the audience, there are many questions concerning education. What is your attitude towards paid education? What do you think about the education reform announced in Russia?
Putin:
Basically, as you know, I think that some elements of our past life, our Soviet life, do deserve to be remembered with kind words. Education is one of them. Education, medicine and science - they were all things the former Soviet Union could be proud of, and rightly so.
There is an explanation for this. Today, in countries that have a planned economy, you can see that they are quite successful in these fields. One can understand why. The state is able to concentrate enormous resources in those areas that it regards as priorities. As regards education, I would say the following: we are going to try, at least I am going to try to preserve what was best in the previous education system.
And I repeat, it was a good system. But, of course, life goes on and new requirements emerge, and education should fit in with the times and meet these new and the latest requirements. It should be focused on the future.
Of course education today -and this is acknowledged practically the world over - together with science is in essence a materialized instrument of development. That is how we are going to treat it.
Vadim Malkin (Strana.Ru):
Here is a question that really is being asked very frequently. Before you took power, the word "reform" was usually used only in conjunction with the word "economic" and the one did not exist without the other. Now that you are in power, there is more and more talk - and you have added to your list of priorities - reform of state power, military reform, reform of the state system itself.
Does this mean that, in your view, economic reform has already been achieved, or that, on the contrary, it is impossible to complete it and achieve the desired results without reform of the system of state power?
Putin:
If one conceives the concept of reform and its ultimate manifestation as the shift from a planned economy to a market one, then to a large extent the desired result has already been achieved. This, however, is not the ultimate goal of the reform process. The ultimate goal is the strengthening of the economy and on this base the growth of the material well-being of the population.
A good deal is yet to be done to create such a mechanism. But it's absolutely clear that this goal is impossible to achieve without having an efficiently functioning state and its institutions. This issue overlaps a great deal with the question asked by Bridget: in a democratic society, it's impossible to adopt appropriate laws without a certain consensus in society.
Why have we been marking time, in fact, for nearly eight years in this sphere, in the sphere of economic reform? Because in a democratic society where the parliament had to take decisions but at the same time there was no consensus either in society or the parliament itself it was impossible to adopt any decisions. That's why we were marking time. Both spheres are very much interconnected, and it's impossible to achieve results in economic reforms without changing the system of functioning of the state itself.
Bridget Kendall (BBC):
We have received many questions concerning Chechnya. There is a question from Ilse Homburg from Denmark who asks: “Do you believe that the Chechen people, against whom Russia has been using such cruel methods of suppression, will be able to regard Russia as its friend in the future?”
And also, from Issa Akhmed, who lives in Geneva, Switzerland. Would it not be wiser to channel the resources you are spending on the Chechen campaign into restoring Russia's wrecked economy instead?
Putin:
I would like to thank our viewers for these questions, because they clearly show how many people in the West do not understand what is going on in our country in the Caucasus and especially in Chechnya.
The Russian army and the Russian people as a whole have never waged any kind of campaign against the Chechen people. The Russian army, and this applies in particular to recent events, was forced to react to the gauntlet that the extremists and international terrorists threw down when they attacked Dagestan.
BBC:
...I have been there myself on the border with Chechnya. I have talked with many people and they have a very negative opinion of Russia and the Russian government.
Putin:
Many of them do have a negative opinion, but many have a positive opinion. I can tell you why. It is because the Chechens themselves received nothing from their self-appointed rulers apart from robbery and fraud.
And we consider that the actions of the Russian army are aimed at the liberation of the Chechen people from the terrorists who seized power there, who are compromising both Islam and the Chechen people, by attacking neighbouring territories, just as is happening right now between Kosovo and Macedonia. That's the first thing.
The second is the targeting of the resources which we are devoting to restoring order, in particular to Chechnya. On this I ought to say the following: generally, the money and resources as such for the development of the economy do play some sort of role. But - and I wish to stress this - the role is far from being definitive.
The definitive role is played by the conditions which the state sets for the economy - and by the ability of the state to safeguard the implementation of these conditions. If we, in our country, do not have the strength or ability to introduce elementary order in our country, if we are to live in a country which is decomposing and falling apart, then there is absolutely no point whatsoever in talking about economic development. In such a case you might as well toss all your money and all your resources into what we call a bottomless barrel. There will not be any result.
Therefore, I am calling on everyone who hears us, who sees us, and who wants to hear and see and understand us to cooperate with us in solving one of the main problems of our time, ie the fight against extremism and terrorism. Then there will be order, prosperity and development in our country, in Europe and in the whole world.
Pupils of the village of Kuzkino, Shigunsky District, Samara Region:
Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, many things have changed in our school since 1 September 2000, when you presented to us some computers with Internet access. We now communicate with the entire world, trying to understand it. Do visit us again. Pupils from the village of Kuzkino, Shugunsky District, Samara Region.
Vadim Malkin:
And they also asked us to show you the site they created and ask for your opinion of it.
Putin:
The site is good, but not correct. I would have included mushrooms and not apples on it. I know for sure that the mushrooms there are very tasty because I tried them.
I am very glad that they now have the opportunity to use the Internet. I wish them every success in their studies, good results at the end of school year and I would like to send my warmest and best wishes to all residents of the village and to the parents of those pupils.
Vladislav Borodulin (Gazeta.Ru):
Parliamentary elections have just been held in Moldova which were won by the communists. This was immediately followed by a declaration that Moldova's rulers, or at least some of them, that they could and want to join the union between Russia and Belarus. How do you view such an announcement?
Putin:
Moldova is a friendly state, a member of the CIS, and of course we are bound to take an interest in what goes on there. But above all else, this is Moldova's own internal affair. We are carefully following events there and we shall respect the will of the Moldovan people, whatever they may decide.
If the communists win, then they win. If they express friendly feelings towards Russia, then we can only be pleased. As for joining the Russia-Belarus union, then I think some domestic procedures should be implemented, within Moldova itself. But our treaty, the union between Russia and Belarus, is open and the union can be joined by all who find it acceptable and in keeping with their wishes and aspirations. We welcome that declaration.
Vadim malkin (Strana.Ru):
Thank you Vladimir Vladimirovich. There are a lot of questions on the following theme. Given the latest events in the Duma and the possibility of a vote of no confidence in the government and of early parliamentary elections, the new law on (political) parties has acquired a new relevance. In particular, representatives of (the pro-presidential) Unity (faction in the Duma) were saying yesterday that early elections under the new law will only increase their presence in the Duma. But in any event, many people say that the next elections will be both presidential and parliamentary, most likely after the new law on parties is passed.
Do you think that two or three, perhaps even four, strong, nationwide, effective, political structures will soon emerge? Don't you think that the country's president should be the leader of one of these parties and draw support from it in his activity, so that it is clear which party is the ruling party?
In general, the attitude to this varies from country to country, and this field of activity is arranged in different ways. In some states, the country's leader is elected by the party and actually continues to be a member of the party, conducts its policy.
And in some states the opposite is true. The head of state is prohibited from being a member of any political party, which is the case in our country.
I think that today when we are only just talking about the coming into being of our political system, our political structure, a civil society, we would like that, but we do not have it essentially. We can only guess, presume and calculate when that will happen, whether it will happen, in what time frame.
At the present time, I think that the head of state could be elected from some party, but he should represent the interests of the whole of society, of the entire people, irrespective of which party he belongs to. And I think that it would be more justified in Russia, especially in today's Russia, for the head of state to be outside the party structures, not part of the party structures.
Bridget Kendall (BBC):
Mr. President, it is not surprising that many people want to get to know you better as a person. This is a question from Victor Vitik. He lives in San Diego, California: He wants to know what your usual schedule for the day is. How many hours do you spend in the office? Do you have time to read books? Which books have you read recently?
From England, Scott Peck from Windsor, Great Britain, asks who your favourite authors are. Which music do your prefer? Which disc will you put on when you come home?
Putin:
You know, as far as my schedule is concerned, it is easy for someone in California to ask such questions, especially if you look at all the snow in Moscow. The schedule is rather tight. I get up early. I spend about 30 minutes every day doing exercises. I swim for about 20 minutes.
Then I work. During the day I try to have a break for about an hour and a half - also for exercises. I finish work late - at around eleven, ten o'clock at night or midnight.
...As for what I have read, I think that any person working in a specific field must work to increase his skills. I have read two books - I am still reading them. Both of them deal with Russia.
The first is the history of rule of Catherine the Second [the Great].
The second is a book by Dmitriy Likhachev: Thoughts about Russia. This is a book about history - a philosophical outlook on the history of Russia's literature and culture.
As far as music is concerned, I like the so-called - if I can put it this way - popular classical music. If I came home and had the chance to put on some disc straight away, I would put on something by Tchaikovsky or Schubert as transcribed by Liszt - I mean Liszt as transcribed by Schubert.
BBC:
And your favourite authors?
Putin:
Russian classical literature: Chekhov, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky. I used to really enjoy Dumas and Jules Verne, and Maupassant, and contemporary literature as well. We had a very good literature teacher at school. He taught us to care about literature, taught us how to use a book.
BBC:
And modern literature, cinema? Do you have time for it?
Putin:
Why not? Now of course not, but previously there was more time. I like cinema very much too. I liked French cinema very much. My favourite Russian actor was Plyatt, while as for famous western ones, I could name among those I liked best of all Romy Schneider.
Andrey Rogov:
Don't you think that the official site of the President of Russia does not quite meet the requirements set for internet projects? This site is viewed by users practically all over the world. One can say that for Russia, this is the internet project number one.
Putin:
I must frankly admit that I don't see myself as a specialist in this sphere. I like it but I admit that it could be done better. Therefore we can agree right now that we will hold a competition for improving the project. It will soon be possible to find out about the conditions on my site. (http://www.president.kremlin.ru)
Aleksey Timoshenko:
What are the prospects for judicial reform, with what do you intend to initiate it and what steps do you consider necessary in the immediate future?
Putin:
I'd like to jump ahead. I want to tell you only that in the very near future we will finish work on a package of laws on this sphere of activity and put it to the country's parliament. It will be aimed at perfecting the judicial system.
It contains - I repeat - a whole complex, a whole package of proposals connected with the perfecting of the mechanism of the judicial system itself and with the strengthening of this judicial system. After this, I will propose a law that will be aimed at perfecting coordination between various structural subdivisions, or various spheres of law-protecting and law-enforcing activity.
I mean the competence of the prosecutor's office, of the judges, and so forth.
Bridget Kendall (BBC):
And now an international question. Many people are interested in your opinion on relations between Russia and NATO and in particular with America, all the more so since there is now a new American president, whom you have not met yet.
Here is a question from Patrick Santoso, Canberra, Australia: “What will you do if the USA insists on developing the National Missile Defence system? It is being reported that you may break off all the arms limitation talks. Is that so?”
Putin:
We are not preparing to deliver any ultimatums to anyone. We want to be part of the negotiating process and are counting on that. Judging by the reactions that we have today from the new American administration, our American partners are inclined to think the same. And this fills us with a certain optimism.
If, nevertheless, a decision is taken to withdraw unilaterally from the 1972 ABM treaty, then there will be consequences of a legal nature, which will not depend on Russia. I would like to stress this and I want all the participants in our meeting today to understand this. The consequences will not depend on Russia.
A whole series of treaties and agreements in the field of international security are linked with the treaty of 1972 as if it is an axis. As soon as we pull out that axis, they will all automatically fall apart. The whole of today's international security structure will collapse.
So, this is how Russia understands it, lets say. Russia ratified START-2, cuts in the numbers of our strategic missiles, but in the law on the ratification it states that it, this ratification, is only in force, if the ABM treaty of 1972 is observed.
That means, by law, we are not automatically obliged to observe the numerical restrictions in the sphere of missile defence.
Bridget Kendall (BBC):
If so, if the treaty is violated, in your opinion, then talks will end, by law.
Putin:
No, we will be prepared to hold more talks. We are simply proceeding from the fact that things should not be taken that far, that today we need to look, within the framework of a negotiating process, for ways out of our current concerns regarding international security which could make it possible not to violate the existing system of international agreements in this sphere but to determine the degree, the level and the nature of threats which could be common to the USA, Russia, Europe or other regions of the world.
And then, after determining the nature of these threats, to think together how to neutralize them without instilling a lack of confidence and suspicion in each other.
Bridget Kendall (BBC):
Do you think it is possible to maintain good relations with the new US president George Bush, like they were with the former president? Will it be more difficult because of this issue?
Putin:
I do not think it will be more difficult. I hope very much that common sense and a deep understanding of the national interests in the sphere of security will bring our American partners and us to a positive search and the final result, jointly.
Vladislav Borodulin (Gazeta.Ru):
Vladimir Vladimirovich, I would like to go back to our audience. I have to admit that a huge number of questions are about a professional army. Basically the question is as follows: When will a professional army be created in Russia? When will the law on compulsory military service be abolished?
Putin:
As you know, Russia is a continental country and far from many continental countries have a professional army. Can you name a European country with a professional army? Practically all European countries have military service, conscription. I must note that now already a significant amount of our servicemen are in the professional ranks of the military. For example, there are professionals serving in the navy, in the air force, in the space troops, and so on. Practically 100% are professionals.
And yet, moving towards a fully professional army is, in my opinion, right given both the political and the social situation, and given the fact that modern armed forces use ever more advanced equipment which is quite difficult (to use). And in order to operate it efficiently, one has to be a professional and to serve not for two or three months, or even a year, but to devote one's whole life to it. This is the right approach and we shall act accordingly. I would like to assure you of that.
The issue here is of course that of the time frame. And the time frame depends on the economic capabilities of the state. They are not significant but upon my instructions, the economic group within the government is actively dealing with this issue.
And I think that time will come, and it is not too far off, when we will be able to name a specific schedule for, if not a 100% one, then at least an extensive transition to a professional army. And this time frame will be a feasible one.
Vladislav Borodulin (Gazeta.Ru):
Will it fit within two presidential terms?
Putin:
Possibly.
Rosbalt Agency, Novosti Pskova newspaper:
Is the integration of Russia into a united Europe a priority task for you? If so, will Russia be able to defend effectively its national interests and at the same time stay within the processes of European integration?
Putin:
You know it’s necessary to look at things realistically. Today's united Europe is a complex body. Quite strict rules are in operation there. I am not sure Russia totally conforms with these rules.
Take the external issues, for instance. We are remain a state without well-protected external borders. We still have no well-protected borders in the south. Despite all their democracy, strict customs and border rules are in operation in united Europe.
Within the Schengen agreement, a step left or step right is considered an escape and a jump on the spot is a provocation. Everything is very strict and serious. Therefore, in my opinion, at present it is absolutely unrealistic for us, but, and here is an answer to your question, I think it would be right if we build up our legislative base in tune with how different areas, including, and first of all, the economy, are regulated with the European community. As a matter of fact, this is how we are acting, in a majority of cases. Thus, we will gradually be building up Russia, Russian economic life in accordance with the rules which are in operation on the continent, of which Russia is an inalienable part. That’s the first thing.
Secondly, now already foreign economic ties, or rather the volume of foreign economic ties, between Russia and Europe is very high - they account for more than one third. Of course Central and Eastern European countries play a big part in this. Once they are included in a united Europe we shall ask our partners that they should, at least for a certain period of time, not break their special relationship with Russia in their own interests and in the interests of Europe and Russia and that some sort of preferential relationship should be maintained between these states and Russia.
Our European partners are understanding about this and we are grateful to them for this and count on this understanding in the future. All this gives us grounds to expect that in the longer term, but we shall, of course, be getting closer and closer to European standards and at some stage of development we could, of course, become a fully-fledged part of a united Europe.
Bridget Kendall (BBC):
We're just a day or two away from 8 March (International Women's Day). I would like to know what present the president will give to his wife?
And there is a question from Yelizaveta from St Petersburg who asks what the reason is for the fairly strict patriarchal behaviour of the Putin couple in public. Are you afraid to repeat the error of the Gorbachevs in the eyes of the electorate or is this how Mr Putin really sees the role of women?
And another question from Denmark. It is from Jetta Westfalis from Aarhus who says that when she looks at the various levels of power in Russia she is unable to see any women at the top. Where are the women leaders? It is just men everywhere.
Putin:
That observation is correct. I’ll start with the final bit of your sentence. As we are aware, the level of the freedom of a society and the level of democracy of a society are defined by the situation of women in society.
Given that unfortunately the number of women in the state power agencies is very small, we still have a lot of problems in this sphere.
As for how my wife and I behave in public, well, that is our way of behaving. Some may like it and some may not. I think that the citizens of Russia elected me president, not my wife. I must perform certain functions. I am very grateful to her for playing her difficult part as she does. It is not easy for her. As for the style of behaviour, this is very much individual.
BBC:
Have you discussed with her how the first lady of Russia should behave?
Putin:
I cannot give her instructions. Our relations are such that if I start doing this, it would backfire. She behaves the way she considers to be appropriate. And what present am I going to give her for 8 March? I think I should not speak about it in public right now because then it would not be a surprise. I would like to arrange a pleasant surprise for my wife on 8 March.
Vladislav Borodulin (Gazeta.Ru):
One can really get lost when you have such a great number of questions and it is necessary to choose just one. You know, there are a lot of sports fans among Gazeta.Ru’s readers and they draw some parallels that are unfavourable for you. You have visited football matches many times, and each time your team lost. Are you going to see Spartak vs. Arsenal?
Putin:
I would like to. But, as far as we touch this issue, when I came to the last match, I arrived after the first half when the team was losing already. And I was advised not to go to the game, they said it is not very good from a public relations point of view. But I come not for PR effects, I am simply interested, I love to watch Spartak, that is why I went to see the game.
Gazeta.Ru:
But will the tradition be broken this time?
Putin:
We’ll see. It would be good if it was.
Vadim Malkin (Strana.Ru):
This is really a question to finish off with. Many readers and journalists are asking how you assess the year which will soon have passed since you were elected, with regard to the main objectives, failures or plans for the future and such like. I would also like to ask a question of my own.
In your last address to the Federal Assembly you named three principal objectives and areas for the authorities. The first referred to building an efficient state, the second implementation of reform of the federal system to equalize the chances for the various constituent parts of the federation and bring the country together, and the third refers to creating the legal guarantees for the development of the Russian economy.
What would be your assessment? In which of these areas have you managed to make the most progress during the year and in which have you had the biggest problems.
Putin:
The first thing I would like to say is that it was a very tough year. It was a full working year. I must say frankly we worked very hard. We managed to make progress in virtually all these areas. Perhaps we could have done more on some of them.
However, I repeat, there was progress made on virtually all these areas and I am generally satisfied with the results of the work done during the year.
Gordon Ackerman:
I am concerned that there appear to be attempts by yourself, Mr President, to suppress reasonable criticism of your government and its actions. Are my concerns justified? Thank you.
Putin:
Our (Russian) correspondents give this somewhat impertinent question. They are not very tolerant but still, I will try to answer it as I see it. Very many positive and destructive processes have taken place in our country during the last decade. The subjugation, and not always lawfully, of entire economic sectors and political structures to a small group of people, who wish to safeguard their economic interests, was one of these destructive processes.
To a certain extent this can be described as privatization of state structures and the mass media. We will develop political processes in the traditional sense of the word, and I wish to stress this, traditional for Western democracy. But this does not mean that anarchy and total permissiveness must flourish in Russia.
But if some people, either here in our country or abroad, do not like the fact that we are trying, and I am not saying that everything we are doing in this area is working out, some mistakes have probably been made, but if they do not like the very fact that we are trying to restore order in this area, that we are trying to make sure the entire country lives by the law. I would guess there are people who would like to live by the previous rules, to fish in muddy waters. But that will not happen.
Nor we will go to the opposite extreme. Democratic structures and institutions will not be broken up and there will be no withdrawal from the rule of law. That will not happen either. Not only would that be counterproductive, it contradicts the entire philosophy of what we intend to do in the country. So our questioner's fears are, in this sense, groundless.
I wish to assure him that I will do my utmost to make sure that Russia will continue to be a democratic country and that it will develop in precisely in this direction.
Vadim Malkin (Strana.Ru):
Our interview is drawing to a close and I'd like to thank you once again for your straightforward answers to difficult questions from our readers. We would like to thank our readers for sending their questions.
Naturally, we were unable to answer even the best of these questions. Nevertheless the topics you have raised are important and significant for us. As journalists we will cover them and keep you posted. I hope our president will read us too. Therefore we will keep our president in touch with our readers. Thank you all very much.
You'll be able to find the full text of the interview on the president.kremlin.ru site in a short while. The text with the video can be found on Strana.Ru, Gazeta.Ru and BBC.co.uk sites. Thank you.
Putin:
I too would like to thank you. Thank you very much. I looked at the screen and found very interesting questions for which we have not had time. Frankly speaking I would love to answer them. I would like to thank you for the opportunity you gave me to get in touch with Internet users. Thank you.
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