Putin, Medvedev discussing new government makeup; any conjectures inappropriate — Peskov
Interfax - 3.26.12 - JRL 2012-56

MOSCOW. March 26 (Interfax) - Any suggestions for the possible structure of the new Russian government will be nothing but speculations until Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev end their consultations, Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov told the Itogi journal.

file photo He was asked whether the pre-election promise of Putin to make drastic transformations of the government structure meant Russia would have a new administrative reform.

"Vladimir Putin has repeatedly declared the need for drastic structural and personnel changes in the cabinet. Yet I have never heard Putin or Medvedev use the 'administrative reform' term with regard to the declared changes," he said.

Peskov remarked that the government structure and personnel were not 'a dogma.'

"Anything written about that now is sheer conjectures. There is Medvedev and there is Putin, and they say they are holding consultations about the new government ... When these two persons come to an agreement, an announcement will be made," he said.

The election gave Putin a credit of confidence unprecedented for a man who has been in office for more than 12 years, he said.

The president elect said he was prepared to put Medvedev in charge of the government upon the end of the latter's presidency.

"The indisputable credit of confidence implies that these two men have the right to hold consultations on the government's configuration. Until the Putin-Medvedev consultations end, any suggestions of the possible government structure and its members are nothing but speculations," he concluded.

Keywords: Russia, Government, Politics - Russian News - Russia

MOSCOW. March 26 (Interfax) - Any suggestions for the possible structure of the new Russian government will be nothing but speculations until Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev end their consultations, Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov told the Itogi journal.

file photoHe was asked whether the pre-election promise of Putin to make drastic transformations of the government structure meant Russia would have a new administrative reform.

"Vladimir Putin has repeatedly declared the need for drastic structural and personnel changes in the cabinet. Yet I have never heard Putin or Medvedev use the 'administrative reform' term with regard to the declared changes," he said.

Peskov remarked that the government structure and personnel were not 'a dogma.'

"Anything written about that now is sheer conjectures. There is Medvedev and there is Putin, and they say they are holding consultations about the new government ... When these two persons come to an agreement, an announcement will be made," he said.

The election gave Putin a credit of confidence unprecedented for a man who has been in office for more than 12 years, he said.

The president elect said he was prepared to put Medvedev in charge of the government upon the end of the latter's presidency.

"The indisputable credit of confidence implies that these two men have the right to hold consultations on the government's configuration. Until the Putin-Medvedev consultations end, any suggestions of the possible government structure and its members are nothing but speculations," he concluded.