[SunkenCiv]

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President Putin says he will step down from office in 2008 (MAXIM MARMUR / AFP / GETTY IMAGES)

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[SunkenCiv]

I'd like to see our worst enemy step down in 2006, instead.

Putin says he will step down in 2008
Macon Daily.com | Sun Sep 10, 2006 | Guy Faulconbridge via al-Reuters
Posted on 09/10/2006 9:50:47 AM EDT by NautiNurse
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1698807/posts

[SunkenCiv]

Putin stands firm on energy control
by Michael Binyon
The Times
September 11, 2006

Mr Putin insisted that Russia would act responsibly in global energy markets but he rejected European Union demands that Russia sign the new EU energy charter, which calls for open access by independent producers to the Russian pipeline network... [T]he Russian leader insisted that he would not splurge the vast earnings from energy exports... that the so-called Stabilisation Fund would be used only for long-term projects, paying off debts, investing in infrastructure and encouraging high technology... The only special case he allowed was agriculture, which he said still employed 40 million people. "This is their life," he said. "It is a special sphere." But petro-dollars would not be used to subsidise agricultural exports or introduce a system like that of Western Europe... Mr Putin gave a tough defence of Russian policy on Iran, China, Japan and Europe. He repeatedly criticised American policy towards Russia... Mr Putin recently announced a range of measures to bolster the faltering birthrate and improve life expectancy for men. Mothers will receive new benefits totalling almost $10,000 (£5,300). Money would be available for adoption, maternity leave would increase and male mortality would be reduced by combating alcoholism and the bad accident rate. The President acknowledged that labour shortages could be alleviated by greater immigration... There had, however, been no success in deciding the future of four former Japanese islands occupied by Russia after the Second World War... On Iran, both Russia and China are against sanctions, but Mr Putin reiterated his opposition to Tehran's drive to enrich uranium. He said that the line between using this for peaceful or military purposes was fuzzy. He called on Tehran to abandon the programme and accept Russia's suggestion of special centres outside Iran where there would be free access to the enrichment technology and spent fuel could be handed in.

Hmm. Did he mention the kalishnikov factories and advanced fighters he's sold to Venezuela?

[SunkenCiv]

Ping!

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Russian elections these days are as fixed as Iranian elections.

Putin will step down, but one of his Kremlin buddies will be annointed next. Any possible challengers from different parties will be thugged before the election into losing badly.

[Sergei_DV]

"Yet if the rule of law had even begun to take hold in Russia, the country would now be witnessing a massive, sustained onslaught on corruption at every level of business and government, in the form of police sweeps, trials, jail terms, public education initiatives — and purges of the judiciary and police themselves."
What, again big purge? New GULAG must be built, old jails are overcrowded, for democracy caused big increase of criminality. Surely provocation. Remembering Chodorkovsky case, reaction of West is easily predictable.