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KREMLIN DOES NOT CONSIDER WEST'S CONCERN OVER NEW GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION PROCEDURE GROUNDED

MOSCOW, September 28 (RIA Novosti) - The Kremlin does not believe the West's concern over the change in the existing procedure of gubernatorial elections in Russian Federation constituent members grounded, said a high-ranking Kremlin source.

"Maybe it's even right that the concern is voiced, as I believe the West has a beneficial effect on the home policy situation in Russia," he said while answering the question about the attitude toward criticism on the part of the West in regard to the change of the principle of regional heads' election. At the same time, stressed the source, "one needs to express concern with reason."

The Russian president submitted on Tuesday to the State Duma the bill on the procedure of establishing executive power bodies in the constituent members of the Russian Federation. The document envisages that the heads of the regions will be elected by regional legislative assemblies on presentation of the Russian president.

The question of how many times one person may be elected to the post of the governor has been left open, said a Kremlin source.

"A big discussion is expected on this issue in the State Duma. We'll see what it will result in," said the source.

In his words, the supreme official of the region will have a possibility to coordinate the activity of federal power bodies in his/her region. "Governors wanted this very much," explained the source.

The Russian president's envoys to the seven federal districts will have "a higher degree of coordination." The institution of federal inspectors in regions is likely to die out soon, said the source.

"Federal districts won't be abolished before 2008," said the source.

He said "when choosing a candidacy of heads of national republics making part of the Russian Federation, consultations with representatives of title nationalities residing in these regions will be held."