RUSSIA:Russia's likely next president, Dmitry Medvedev, said yesterday that freedom, private property and an independent judiciary would be the central planks of his administration.
In a speech setting out his programme at an economic forum in Siberia, Mr Medvedev, who has been endorsed by outgoing president Vladimir Putin, also called for tax reform to support economic growth.
Speaking later to reporters, he said Russia and the United States shared common values and had no choice but to co-operate with each other. His remarks contrasted with the forthright rhetoric Mr Putin often directs towards Washington.
"One of the key elements of our work in the next four years will be ensuring the independence of our legal system from the executive and legislative branches of power," said Mr Medvedev, a first deputy prime minister.
"We need to root out the practice of unlawful decisions 'by request' or for money." He also repeated earlier promises to ensure personal freedoms and an independent and free press.
"We're talking about freedom in all its forms - personal freedom, economic freedom, and in the end, the freedom of self-expression," he told the Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum.
Mr Medvedev (42) spoke more about the development of social welfare projects than international affairs or the resurrection of Russian military power, themes Mr Putin addresses regularly.
On relations with the United States, Mr Medvedev emphasised co-operation rather than the two countries' differences over issues such as Kosovo and the US missile defence shield. "It is necessary that the United States and Russian Federation co-operate . . . It is inevitable," he told journalists.