Putin “says he may come back as president in 2012”

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has reportedly said he may consider taking part in the Russian presidential election in 2012. The news comes from a participant of the Valdai discussion club.

Putin apparently gave a signal that he “is considering the possibility of returning as president in 2012,” according to Aleksandr Rahr, director for Russia and Eurasia at the German Council on Foreign Relations, who is attending the event.

“Answering our questions, he didn’t say that he won’t return, even though the occasion was there. I believe it’s the first time he has given such a signal,” the Herr Rahr told ITAR-TASS news agency.

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At the same time, Putin does not seem to be going to stand against the current Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in the upcoming election.

Replying to a question of a possible political competition with the president, Putin said “there was none in 2008 and there will be none in 2012,” as cited by the head of the Russian government Nikolay Zlobin from the Washington-based World Security Institute. More