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Russia begins presidency over Group of Eight

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin's push to revive Russian global clout reaches a symbolic milestone today when Moscow assumes the rotating presidency of the Group of Eight industrial nations.

It's a position that some critics say Putin doesn't deserve because of his government's rollback on freedoms in Russia.

Putin has suggested this summer's G-8 summit in his home city of St. Petersburg, Russia, focus on energy security, reflecting Moscow's aspirations to convert oil wealth into political influence.

While the other members of the G-8 club - the world's seven wealthiest countries - have voiced concern about Russia's backtracking on democracy under Putin, they will likely avoid strong criticism to help Russia maintain a respectable profile as their chairman. They are the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada.

"Despite its discontent, the West won't toughen its attitude to Russia," said Lilia Shevtsova, a leading researcher with the Carnegie Endowment's Moscow office. "It will likely apply behind-the-scenes pressure and the tactics of acting on the basis of reciprocity."

Since Putin became Russian president in 2000, his government has established a firm grip over all national broadcasters, the Parliament has become a rubber-stamp for the Kremlin and popularly elected provincial governors have been replaced with Putin appointees.

And while the Kremlin has sought to encourage foreign investment, the carveup of Mikhail Khodorkovsky's Yukos oil company in what was widely seen as a Kremlin vendetta for his political ambitions has underlined doubts about the rule of law in Russia and kept many investors wary.

Those concerns were deepened Tuesday when Putin economic adviser Andrei Illarionov quit, saying he no longer wanted to work for a government that tramples on freedoms.

In the latest Kremlin effort to tighten controls over public life, Russian lawmakers this month endorsed a bill imposing tight restrictions on human rights advocates and other nonprofit groups.

Relations between the West and Moscow also have been strained over relations with former Soviet republics.

[Last modified January 1, 2006, 00:29:14]