RUSSIA: Speculation mounts that new Russian PM, Zubkov, might become a caretaker president for Putin

Russia's parliament, the Duma, overwhelmingly confirmed Viktor Zubkov as prime minister on Friday (September 14), two days after President Vladimir Putin surprised observers by nominating the virtually-unknown official. Sixty-five-year-old Zubkov had been head of a money laundering watchdog. Most observers had expected the prime minister's job to go to a heavyweight figure as a stepping stone to the presidency. Zubkov thanked Putin for his trust and said he would try not to let him down. He told a confirmation hearing in parliament he would stick to Putin's economic policies. Keeping inflation down and preventing sharp rouble fluctuations would be a key priority. He said Russia should improve its military, and squeeze more income out of its mineral wealth. The most advanced technologies would be used, he said, to process Russia's resources - oil and gas, timber, fish and other natural resources - for the benefit of the country. Zubkov said corruption pervaded Russian society and called for a special anti-corruption task-force to be set up. Sounding a populist note as he addressed lawmakers, who face an election in two months, he said he would help the defence industry recover from years of neglect, cut taxes and subsidise agriculture. "One more strategic goal is to ensure the recovery of our military industry. The President has specially stressed the importance of rational use of our national resources in his address. To ensure that Russia's oil and gas resources, as well as our timber, fish and other natural resources bring more benefits to the country, here we mean the depth of processing of these resources, which should be increased with the use of the most advanced technologies in the world in these fields," Zubkov said. Lawmakers in the 450-seat State Duma voted by 381 to 47 for Zubkov, an old Putin acquaintance, to replace sacked prime minister Mikhail Fradkov. Under the constitution, Zubkov has one week to submit his proposals for a new government to Putin. Zubkov is a former collective farm boss who in the 1990s worked alongside Putin in St Petersburg's city administration. Zubkov replaces Fradkov, who was fired by Putin after three years in the job. His nomination deepened uncertainty about who Vladimir Putin will endorse to succeed him when he steps down as president next year. Putin must step down next year because under the constitution he can serve only two consecutive terms in office. He can return in 2012 after his successor has served a term. Zubkov said on Thursday (September 13) he did not rule out standing for the Kremlin top job. Most analysts do not see him as next president but as a caretaker figure who would help ensure stability while Putin manages the potentially turbulent succession. But speaking on Friday (September 14) Putin said there are at least five people who could be in the running for his job. He told a conference in Sochi that a year to 18 months ago people were saying the field was empty, "but now they can name five who could realistically stake a claim to be elected president of Russia". Putin named newly appointed Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov as one possible candidate but didn't name the others. Putin has said that when the time is right he will indicate who he endorses as his replacement, and his huge popularity means that person is almost assured of victory in the March 2008. Zubkov's appointment sparked speculation he would be a low-key caretaker president, under whom Putin would retain political influence -- later making a return to the Kremlin.

ITN Source | September 15, 2007

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