Russia: Putin to face journalist conference

Posted by Jean Yves Chainon on January 30, 2007 at 2:04 PM

On Jan. 31 Russian President Vladimir Putin will stand in front of hundreds of journalists for an annual face-off, one of the rare occasions during which reporters can pose direct questions and interview him.

Nearly 1,000 reporters have been accredited for this unusual press conference, to be held within the Kremlin complex and aired live on state-owned TV station Vesti 24.

Previous conferences have lasted up to three hours and 26 minutes in 2006, and Putin had answered a wide range of political and personal questions.

This conference will be a keystone in the Kremlin’s media strategy, especially since Putin and his government have belatedly been criticized by press freedom organizations and journalists. The mysterious killings of prominent Russian journalists, critical of their government, has sparked international debate as to the realities and corruption of Russian’s free press.

While this is a unique occasion for journalists to directly inquire Putin, it is likely many of the controversial debates will be avoided. Putin is an agile speaker in these situations, and the format of the conference allows little room for follow-up questions.

Still, perhaps reporters can pry into some sensitive issues, including press freedom, war in Chechnya, Iran’s nuclear program and the controversial Russian energy policy.

Source: AFP Mail