Russian President Medvedev Hints At U-Turn Over Iran Sanctions

Dmitry Medvedev gave the first hint Tuesday that Russia is prepared to perform a major policy U-turn and support U.S. moves for sanctions against Iran.

Speaking in Moscow, the Russian President went out of his way to be more conciliatory with the West ahead of his visit to the U.S. later this month where he will attend the United Nations General Assembly Meeting in New York and the G20 summit of economic powers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

A key issue on the agenda will be efforts by America, Britain and France to impose economic sanctions against Tehran, if the regime does not agree to curb its controversial nuclear program. It is widely expected that President Ahmadinejad of Iran, who will also be in New York, will reject any pressure from the international community.

So far Russia has dug in its heels and refused to join the move to sanctions on Iran, not least because it enjoys strong trade relations with the country.

But, Tuesday, Medvedev said: “Sanctions are not very effective on the whole, but sometimes you have to embark on sanctions and they can be right.”

His remarks contradicted his own Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, who only last week ruled out sanctions. The possibility of a Russian U-turn will come as a huge relief to Western diplomats who had largely given up on Russia supporting them.

The trade sanctions against Iran would need the support of all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - the U.S., Britain, China, France and Russia. If Russia joined the Western nations Beijing would be expected to drop its objections.

Reaching an international consensus on Iran is seen by many as the only way to force the regime into serious negotiations and avoid the threat of Israeli unilateral military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities before the country can build its first atomic bomb.

Medvedev appeared relaxed and certainly more confident about his leadership when he met journalists and academics of the Valdai Discussion Club at Moscow’s famous GUM department store next to the Kremlin.

At the same meeting last year - in the aftermath of Russian war with Georgia - he seemed far more tense and edgy particularly when asked who was really running Russia, him or Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister.

Last week Medvedev set out a hugely ambitious program of reforms that he hopes to initiate in Russia with the aim of stamping out corruption, breaking the country’s dependency on energy exports and modernizing a country which is still overshadowed by the legacy of Soviet rule.

The Russian leader admitted that other reformers before him had tried and failed but that he was confident that the country was ready to be dragged into the 21st century. Corruption arguably remains the biggest challenge.

“One major problem is that corrupted officials run Russia,” he said. ”I don’t think we can achieve tangible results in one or two years. We could get results in 15 years.” He went on to liken the campaign to the eradication of illiteracy in Russia one of the great achievements of Communist rule.

The reference to such a long project suggested strongly that Medvedev would like to stay on as president for another term when his mandate expires in 2012.

However that could bring him into direct conflict with Putin who hinted only last week that he would like to return to the Kremlin as president possibly for two terms of six years until 2024.

The relationship between the two leaders is a constant source of debate for modern Kremlinologists. It is widely accepted that Putin remains in charge of the day-to-day running of Russia even though he holds the number two job.

Tuesday Medvedev tried to play down talk of differences in the partnership. “We are a good team. We speak the same language. That is what matters. We have our differences but that is normal,” he said.