September 16, 2009 By Citizen M

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – September 16, 2009

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TODAY: Medvedev denounces corruption as main problem in Russia, argues business mentality needs transformation, does not rule out standing at 2012 elections and hints at a possible U-turn on Iran.  NATO chief calls for closer cooperation with Russia; Medvedev suggests US was prime obstacle to WTO bid.  Military deal with Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  CPJ report highlights neglect regarding unsolved journalist murders.

We are not used to saying ‘we have a dream’ in my country … but this is my political vision’:  Medvedev has promised to ‘squeeze’ corruption out of Russia with a reform program laid out at a Valdai debate club meeting.  The President also told the audience that the ‘business mentality’ needs to be changed and diversified from oligarch-controlled raw materials sales.  The President apparently took a more open line on Iran, expressing concern about the country’s nuclear program and contradicting, according to the Times, the no-sanctions stance of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, by acknowledging ‘sometimes you have to embark on sanctions and they can be right’.  The President was also ‘not ruling anything out’ as regards the 2012 election, says an AP report.  The BBC examines the ‘blood brothers’ of tandemocracy in consideration of the next presidential election.