Putin to revisit as president

MOSCOW: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Saturday agreed to stand for an historic third term as president after current Kremlin chief Dmitry Medvedev said he would step aside in 2012 polls.

In a carefully-choreographed job swap announced at a glitzy ruling party congress, Medvedev declared he was ready to work as prime minister in a new government under Putin, whose next presidential stint could last until 2024.

The long-awaited announcement ended months of uncertainty over which of the men would run, and raised the prospect of a new phase of strongman rule by Putin in Russia's number one post.

Medvedev proposed in the presence of a thousands-strong audience at the ruling United Russia party congress that Putin should run for president. The prime minister rapidly accepted and offered him Russia's number two job.

"I think it would be correct for the congress to support the candidacy of the party chairman, Vladimir Putin, to the post of president of the country," Medvedev told the annual congress to cheers from thousands of delegates.

"For me this is a great honour," Putin said in his acceptance speech. The announcement marks a dramatic comeback to the country's top post for the former KGB officer who had left the Kremlin in 2008 after serving a maximum two consecutive terms and installed his former chief of staff as president.

Medvedev who had attempted to launch a drive to modernise Russia since taking over from Putin but always remained in his shadow -- sought to put a brave face on the announcement and appear happy with his consolation prize.

Putin, who has dominated Russia for a decade, said he was certain that Medvedev "will be able to create a new, effective, young, energetic administration team and head the government of the Russian Federation."

Presidential elections are scheduled for March, with the dominant United Russia’s candidate almost certain to win the country's top job due to the emasculated state of the Russian opposition and the Kremlin's control over the media.

Under constitutional changes pushed forward by Medvedev and which many long suspected were aimed at further strengthening Putin, the new president will have a six-year mandate rather than four years as before.

This means that if Putin again served the two maximum consecutive terms, he could stay in power until 2024 by which time he will be 72.Russian liberals expressed horror at the thought of the man they blame for emasculating civil society in Russia in the last decade returning to the Kremlin.

"This is a catastrophic scenario for Russia," said former cabinet minister Boris Nemtsov, now a member of the sidelined liberal opposition.

"We should expect capital flight, immigration and dependence on natural resources."

But Chris Weafer, chief strategist at Troika Dialog investment bank in Moscow, said Putin would work harder this time to attract foreign investment.

"I expect Putin will establish a very pro-business and pro-reform cabinet.

Copyright AFP (Agene France-Presser), 2011