Valdai Global Experts Drill Putin, Will He Run For President 2012

The Valdai International Discussion Club is an international framework for the leading experts from around the world to debate on Russia and its role in the world. It was setup in 2004 by the Russian news and Information Agency “RIA Novosti”, Council on Foreign and Defense Policy and Russia Profile magazine..

In 2009 year the Valdai goes to Yakutsk, a city 9000 km (5590 miles) away from Moscow and the capital of the largest subnational administrative territory in Russia and the world – the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The area of 3,100,000 sq. km (1,200,000 sq miles) is populated by less than 1 million people.

48 experts from academic, media and political background from Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the USA will debate the topic of Russia and the West turning round the last years’ trend of the souring relations with 33 leading Russian experts.

The Valdai Club is a unique project in many respects. I do not think there are many similar specialized forums in the world, where participants have an annual opportunity to discuss important issues with the president, prime minister and government officials of a great country.

Russia's Vladimir Putin on Friday gave his strongest indication yet that he may run again for the presidency at the next election in 2012.

Ever since Putin's presidential term expired last year and he made way for his chosen successor Dmitry Medvedev, there has been speculation the move was only temporary.

Putin, now serving as prime minister, remains extremely popular among Russian voters despite the economic downturn and he continues to dominate the political scene.

Speaking to the Valdai discussion group of Russia experts, Putin said the transition at the top in 2007/8 had been a smooth one and there would not be any competition between himself and Medvedev in 2012. "We share political views."

Analysts point out that if Putin does not run in 2012, by which time he will be 59, he is arguably out of politics for good. For Russia's international partners, Putin is a straight talker and hard bargaining counterpart. Investors like his predictability.

He accused the United States of blocking Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization despite repeated promises that membership was in sight.

He said Russia had made strides in dismantling and destroying warheads, while the United States had dismantled and stored its arms.

...Putin said meetings with U.S. President Obama gave grounds for some optimism, but he was looking for actions to back up the words. "There are positive signals but we would like practical steps," he added.

The participants will then head back to Russia’s capital – Moscow – for the traditional rendezvous’ with top Russian representatives from the government, the business and the society to express their concerns and opinions and get up-to-speed to what the Russian elites think.