W O R L D

Russia’s ruling tandem set to switch roles next year
Moscow, September 24
Russia’s ruling tandem of President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is set to switch roles next year, with Putin returning to the presidency and Medvedev taking over the government.

DOUBLE ACT: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (right) and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin synchronise their watches during a congress of country’s ruling party in Moscow on Saturday. — AFP

Gaddafi is well and fighting, says daughter
Nicosia, September 24
Aisha Gaddafi, daughter of the ousted Libyan leader, said that her father was well and fighting on the ground, as she attacked the country’s new rulers and called them “traitors”.

Aisha Gaddafi

Russia’s ruling tandem set to switch roles next year
Putin to return as President while Medvedev to become PM

Moscow, September 24
Russia’s ruling tandem of President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is set to switch roles next year, with Putin returning to the presidency and Medvedev taking over the government.

Medvedev asked the ruling United Russia party today to support Putin’s run in next year’s Presidential election, while Putin backed Medvedev to head the next government. Both said it was their joint decision agreed upon long ago but kept back for tactical reasons.

Putin’s return to the Kremlin is practically guaranteed given his consistently high popularity. He has played dominant role in Russia’s politics even after he relinquished presidency in 2008 in line with the Constitution upon serving two straight terms and promoted Medvedev as his replacement. Medvedev for his part has stayed in Putin’s shadow and his demotion to Prime Minister will reflect the balance of power in the Kremlin duo.

The Presidential term in Russia has been extended from four to six years since last elections, which means Putin may remain at the helm till 2024. “It is a great honour for me,” Putin said to loud cheers and applause from thousands of party members gathered in a Moscow sports stadium. “Thank you, I hope for your support.”

Opinion polls show Putin is sure to be elected for a six-year term in the March presidential election, ushering in what critics say could be an era of stagnation in the world’s biggest country.

His party also hopes to hold on to its two-thirds majority in the State Duma lower house in a parliamentary election on December 4 with Medvedev as the top candidate on its list. Putin, 58, is widely seen as more conservative than Medvedev and some economists have said his return to the Kremlin could herald an era of economic stagnation in the world’s biggest energy producer.

Others have said that although Medvedev, 46, is widely portrayed as more liberal, there is more difference in their style than in their policies. Putin was president from 2000 to 2008 but steered Medvedev into the Kremlin in 2008 because he was barred from a third successive term by the constitution. Medvedev agreed at the United Russia congress that he would head its list of candidates in the parliamentary election and Putin then invited him to take over the government.

The next government is expected to face many economic challenges and calls for tough economic and political reforms, which critics say could provoke unrest.

It also faces difficult relations with the United States, despite calls for a “reset’ in relations, and foreign policy uncertainties following the upheaval in the Arab world.

“Medvedev is leaving the presidency but stays on the scene as a reformist prime minister to implement unpopular and painful modernising reforms,” said Vladimir Frolov, president of LEFF Group, a government relations and PR firm. — Agencies

Gaddafi is well and fighting, says daughter

Nicosia, September 24
Aisha Gaddafi, daughter of the ousted Libyan leader, said that her father was well and fighting on the ground, as she attacked the country’s new rulers and called them “traitors”.

“Remain reassured, your great leader is doing well. He carries weapons and is fighting on the fronts,” she said in a telephone message yesterday, aired by Syria-based Arrai television.

Aisha Gaddafi, who fled to Algeria with her mother and two brothers late last month, called on the people to “rise” against the new rulers, saying members of the National Transitional Council were “traitors who have broken their oath of allegiance” toward Gaddafi. — AFP

US fires fresh salvo at Pak
Tells it to rein in military-run ISI

Washington, September 24
Brushing aside Islamabad’s rebuttal, US has fired fresh salvos charging Pakistan’s military-run ISI of not only supporting the Haqqani terror network but also ‘encouraging’ it to launch more brazen strikes on American installations in Afghanistan.

Demanding a “strong and immediate action” against the outfit, US officials said Haqqani group’s activities have become “more brazen, more aggressive and more lethal”.

Capt John Kirby, spokesperson of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen, told Pentagon reporters that there has been a long-standing historical relationship between the ISI and extremist groups.

Kirby said: “There has been a lot of activity over the course of this summer - the hotel attack in Kabul, Wardak truck bomb, attack on the embassy and others smaller level operations. It has been a very busy summer for the Haqqani network. It has gone worse.

“Their (Haqqani’s) activities have become more brazen, more aggressive and more lethal. Information has become more available that these attacks have been supported or encouraged by the ISI. The Chairman (Mullen) just had the conversation with Gen Ashfaq Kayani last week in Spain. He said this because this is the truth.” “All I can tell you that we are confident that the ISI continues to support and even encourages the Haqqanis to launch these attacks,” he said. — PTI

 

China asks US to respect Pak sovereignty Beijing: With the US and Pakistan engaged in a war of words, China on Saturday sprung to the defence of its 'all weather ally', asking Washington to respect Islamabad's sovereignty and territorial integrity while fighting its war on terror.