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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| 'Don't squeeze N Korea' - Putin | 'Don't squeeze N Korea' - Putin |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin has said North Korea should not be driven into a corner if the world wants to rein in its nuclear weapons programme. | Russian President Vladimir Putin has said North Korea should not be driven into a corner if the world wants to rein in its nuclear weapons programme. |
| He said some negotiators "failed to find the right tone" with the country. | He said some negotiators "failed to find the right tone" with the country. |
| He was speaking in a live TV phone-in with Russians nationwide, broadcast on TV and radio. | |
| He said he would not try to run for office again when his term ends in 2008, but said he would try to continue to influence political affairs. | |
| On North Korea, Mr Putin said a solution could be found "with goodwill". | On North Korea, Mr Putin said a solution could be found "with goodwill". |
| Even in losing the job that I like, I hope I will manage to retain the essential thing - your trust Russian President Vladimir Putin | Even in losing the job that I like, I hope I will manage to retain the essential thing - your trust Russian President Vladimir Putin |
| "You must never push one of the participants in talks into a corner," he said. | "You must never push one of the participants in talks into a corner," he said. |
| North Korea said earlier this month that it had tested a nuclear weapon. | North Korea said earlier this month that it had tested a nuclear weapon. |
| Mr Putin said he expected to retain political influence after stepping down at the end of his final term in 2008, but did not specify in what role. | Mr Putin said he expected to retain political influence after stepping down at the end of his final term in 2008, but did not specify in what role. |
| "Even in losing the job that I like, I hope I will manage to retain the essential thing - your trust," he said, adding: "With you, we can influence the life of the country" after 2008. | "Even in losing the job that I like, I hope I will manage to retain the essential thing - your trust," he said, adding: "With you, we can influence the life of the country" after 2008. |
| Russia 'alarmed' | |
| On the question of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are both seeking independence from Russia's neighbour Georgia, Mr Putin said Russia had no plans to increase its territory at anybody's expense. | |
| Russia's main goal is to prevent bloodshed in Georgia's relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, he said. | |
| If Georgia opts for the use of force, it will make a big mistake, he added. | If Georgia opts for the use of force, it will make a big mistake, he added. |
| "We respect the Georgian people... Georgians made a huge contribution to Russian statehood," Mr Putin said, stressing the need for peaceful compromise. | |
| "We're very alarmed by the current [Georgian] leadership's efforts to resolve these problems through force... We want relations with Georgia to get back to normal." | |
| People were able to take part in the phone-in by telephone or e-mail, and residents in nine selected towns put their questions directly to Mr Putin. | |
| More than a million questions were submitted to the organisers' website, many about worries over wages, pensions and rising housing costs. | |