Media Mirror - Read today's Russian press review

The focus of the Russian press is obviously on the President’s visit to Iran despite a threat of an attempt on his life, and on Russo-German talks in Wiesbaden.

ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA writes, while Vladimir Putin was busy discussing global issues with the German Chancellor the whole World was worrying about his visit to Iran.

Despite the reported assassination threat, the Russian President gave all his attention to the inter-governmental consultations between Russia and Germany. The paper says the president emphasised the necessity of the Russian and European economies becoming interdependent.

IZVESTIA says, in Wiesbaden, unlike famous Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky, who once lost a fortune there, the Russian President was in the winning mood.

KOMMERSANT’s report concentrates on President Putin and Chancellor Merkel’s participation in the “St. Petersburg Dialogue” – an economic co-operation forum chaired this time by Mikhail Gorbachev. There Vladimir Putin mentioned “a different configuration of power” after the presidential election of 2008. He never elaborated. Neither did Angela Merkel when asked, in what capacity Mr Putin is going to be present at the next summit of the G8.

KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA quotes a few comments on the rumoured assassination plot:

Rajab Safarov, Head of the Center of Modern Iranian Studies: “No way Iran is behind it. This visit is extremely important for Iran”.

Mikhail Leontiev, Chief Editor, Profile Magazine: “It is highly possible that the U.S. is behind the rumour. It all looks like a provocation”.

Mikhail Liubimov, a veteran of Foreign Intelligence and a well-known writer: “A strange leak. Usually when there is some evidence, the information is delivered through covert channels, not the media. I presume, someone in our security system may be trying to gain a few brownie points with the President”.

ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA columnist Sergey Karaganov thinks it may be “some groups in the West who are not interested in the success of Mr Putin’s trip to Iran”. He writes, the visit may be a great success if the Russian President manages to persuade Iran to drop the military element of its nuclear program.

In an exclusive interview to IZVESTIA the Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad says:

“Nuclear energy is a necessity today, or else we’ll have to burn all our oil and gas for electricity. But in our defence doctrine there is no room for nuclear weapons. That would be a total waste of resources”.