Bush prods Putin on Russian democracy

US President George W. Bush secured a promise from President Vladimir Putin not to backslide on Russian democracy but did not challenge the Kremlin leader to make specific pledges at a summit yesterday.

A frank debate between the two leaders behind closed-doors was carried out into the open at a dramatic joint news conference in which both men were calm but firm.

"Democracies have certain things in common - a rule of law and protection of minorities and a free press and a viable political opposition," Mr Bush said.

"I was able to share my concerns about Russia's commitment in fulfilling these universal principles. I did so in a constructive and friendly way."

The meeting in Slovakia came amid growing concern in the West that Mr Putin is backsliding on democracy, with critics saying his tough policies toward opponents have curbed true democracy. Mr Putin said Western fears were unfounded.

"Russia has made its choice in favour of democracy," he said.

As for attacks on him for ending the direct election of provincial governors, he said the Russian substitute is like America's Electoral College that elects presidents.

"First, we are not going to make up to invent any kind of special Russian democracy," he said. But he said the principles of democracy should be "adequate to the current status of the development of Russia."

That appeared to be a reference to Mr Putin's oft-stated belief that Russia needs a strong leader and a democracy that fits its post-Soviet development, a view received with scepticism by US officials.

But the two leaders made clear the US-Russian relationship was still on sound footing, saying they both agreed that neither Iran nor North Korea should have a nuclear weapon.

Russia, helping Iran build a nuclear power station, has irritated Washington by declaring it believed Iran's assurance it will not convert the project to develop a nuclear weapon.

They also announced what seemed to be a fairly comestic agreement on increasing cooperation on keeping nuclear material out of the hands of terrorists and to control the spread of shoulder-fired missiles.

In addition, they said they would accelerate talks on Russia's bid to gain entry to the World Trade Organisation. Mr Putin indicated he was willing to make a "reasonable compromise" in negotiations to get the process moving. Their news conference in the Slovak capital Bratislava returned again and again to the issue of Russian democracy.

Western and Russian civil rights campaigners accuse Putin of restricting democracy by abolishing the election of provincial governors, pursuing a legal vendetta against the Yukos oil company and tightening the Kremlin's grip on the media.

They also fear he is trying to stifle democratic changes across the ex-Soviet bloc, with Russian reluctance to accept free elections in Ukraine often cited as the latest example.

Russia's heavy-handed crackdown on separatists in Chechnya has also drawn Western criticism.

As for concerns about the perceived lack of press freedoms, Mr Putin said Russian media and government have a lively give-and-take but that in any event he did not think this issue should be "pushed to the foreground; that new problems should be created from nothing."

The leaders have warm personal ties and put a brave face on differences as they stood side by side at Bratislava Castle, the final stage of Mr Bush's fence-mending trip to Europe. Mr Bush appeared jovial at times while Mr Putin showed his usual poker face.