RUSSIA: Russia's new PM, Viktor Zubkov, says he could stand for president

Russia's surprise choice for new prime minister said on Thursday (September 13) he did not rule out running for president next year, adding to the uncertainty over who will replace Vladimir Putin when he steps down. Putin nominated Viktor Zubkov, the little-known head of a money laundering watchdog, on Wednesday (September 12) as the new premier in a move that confounded analysts who had expected a political heavyweight to be chosen. Most observers predicted Zubkov, a virtual unknown who spent part of his career running a collective farm, would have a caretaker role while Putin endorsed a more high-profile figure to take over the Kremlin top job. Putin gave nothing away when he said he sacked Mikhail Fradkov as prime minister and nominated Zubkov to ensure stability through a potentially turbulent election cycle. Zubkov, speaking to reporters in parliament where he was meeting lawmakers, was asked whether he planned to run in an election next March to choose Putin's successor. "If I achieve something as prime minister then I do not rule out that possibility," Zubkov told reporters. The parliament, dominated by Putin loyalists, is expected to confirm Zubkov's appointment on Friday. However, an official who did not want to be named, played down the significance of Zubkov's comment, saying he may have been flustered by the television cameras. Zubkov, a 65-year-old who worked alongside Putin in the 1990s in the St Petersburg City Hall, pledged cabinet changes. "The government structure is not ideal. The administrative reform has not been very effective. There will be structural changes for sure and we will closely monitor the new line-up of the government," Zubkov said. Several Russian newspapers, citing government sources, said that liberal-minded Economy Minister German Gref could be the chief casualty of a Cabinet reshuffle. Russian media said gaffe-prone Health and Social Affairs Minister Mikhail Zurabov was also likely to be left out of Zubkov's government. Most observers had been expecting Putin to name First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov as prime minister as a prelude to Ivanov becoming president. The consensus on Thursday was that Putin wanted to keep everyone guessing about the identity of his favoured successor and so avoid becoming a lame duck. "Putin remains the president of the country, but it may be suggested at whatever capacity Zubkov will have after the presidential elections, if he remains an important statesman, he will continue taking instructions from Putin, who really wants to remain the most important decision taker and arbiter in the country," said Maria Lipman, a Carnegie foundation Moscow centre political analyst. "The president has carried out a very elegant manoeuvre: as expected he has changed the government but he has not created a rival for himself," Vedomosti financial daily said. Some Russian newspapers said Zubkov's background as a financial regulator gave him access to information about the finances of Russia's elite -- knowledge which could give him political leverage.

ITN Source | September 14, 2007

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