Putin tells experts he will step down in 2008

By Guy Faulconbridge
Reuters
Saturday, September 9, 2006; 6:04 PM

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday vowed to step down in 2008 and said he would recommend his successor fight poverty and ensure strong economic growth, said experts who attended a lunch with the president.

Putin spoke for nearly four hours to a group of about 50 foreign experts over lunch at his Novo-Ogaryovo residency outside Moscow, according to people who attended the meeting.

"The most interesting point was that he reiterated that he does not plan to run again for office in 2008 as he believes he has a moral duty not to break the constitution," said Angela Stent, director of the center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/09/AR2006090900682.html