Gorbachev Praises Vladimir Putin

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 26, 2001

Gorbachev Praises Vladimir Putin

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev branded his old rival Boris Yeltsin a liar in an interview broadcast on Monday, but praised Vladimir Putin.

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev branded his old rival Boris Yeltsin a liar in an interview broadcast on Monday, but praised Vladimir Putin.

"Yeltsin is a strange man, full of tricks, and he's a liar, you just can't trust him," Mr Gorbachev told the BBC on the eve of the 10th anniversary of his resignation as Soviet president on Christmas Day, 1991.

The 70-year-old accused Mr Yeltsin of enjoying the very privileges of power he had attacked.

"He always said he was against the idea of privileges, but Russian tsars didn't have the kind of privileges that Yeltsin had. He also had a thirst for power," said Mr Gorbachev. His assessment of Mr Yeltsin's chosen successor President Vladimir Putin was far more complimentary.

"Putin is clearly a talented and mature politician," said Mr Gorbachev.

"He's helped bring stability and order to this country. I believe Putin's domestic policies do benefit the majority of Russians."

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