Medevdev and Putin 'related in blood'

In one, he spoke about determination to overcome foreign objections against Russian membership of the World Trade Organization:

--- This membership remains a priority, and Russia is going to pursue it together with Belarus and Kazakhstan. As members of a customs union, the three countries believe they can enter the WTO as one. In case this proves difficult, individual memberships are an option. And in any case, there will be close coordination within the trio.

Turning to Russia’s efforts to eradicate corruption, the President ruled out a return to totalitarian methods of battling the evil. He acknowledged that despotic regimes are often very successful in combating graft, but said that Russia is now a democracy and has to solve all problems within the law.

In the most intriguing part of his lengthy interview, the President ridiculed foreign speculation about an unavoidable rift between the young liberal lawyer that is he and the career intelligence officer that is Vladimir Putin. He said they are related in blood as former nationals of the same country, the Soviet Union, native sons of the same city, St Petersburg, and alumni of the same alma mater, the Law Department of St Petersburg State University. Any difference between them is within the normal range of what scientists term ‘individual variation’.

The President also denied accusations of presiding over a one-party state. He said Russia possesses a left-to-right spectrum of parties and the United Russia party retains its dominance on the domestic scene due to its ideological and practical commitment to centrism and pragmatism. Mr Medvedev looked forward to a time of stronger pluralism when United Russia has to defend its position at the top. At the same time, he ruled out haste in ushering in a fully-fledged multiparty system.

By Voice of Russia