Putin Wants Successor To Pursue Similar Policies

Russian President Vladimir Putin says he wants his successor to pursue similar policies to his own.

In an interview with Indian media posted on the Kremlin website today, Putin said the majority of Russians shared the same values, citing what he said was Russia's shift from "permanent crises" to stability.

Putin's second four-year term ends in 2008. He has previously said the constitution should not be altered to allow him to run for a third consecutive term.

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org