Muted welcome for Russia leader

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BBC

Western leaders have congratulated Dmitry Medvedev on becoming Russia's new president, but Western observers have highlighted flaws in the election.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he was confident that the EU-Russia "strategic partnership" would develop.

German congratulations were mixed with regret about apparent irregularities. Mr Medvedev, 42, won by a landslide.

In Moscow, police arrested dozens of people ahead of an opposition rally.

Graph showing election results

More than 100 officers swooped on opposition activists as they were gathering for the unauthorised demonstration in the Russian capital on Monday.

Some of the protesters lit flares and chanted "Your election is a farce!" Reuters reports.


Dmitry Medvedev speaks to the media on election night
We will increase stability, improve the quality of life and move forward on the path we have chosen
Dmitry Medvedev

Profile: Dmitry Medvedev
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Mr Medvedev, President Vladimir Putin's chosen successor, won 70.23% of the vote on Sunday, with nearly all votes counted, according to official results.

"I think (my presidency) will be a direct continuation," he said, referring to Mr Putin's eight years in office.

His nearest rival was Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, with 17.76% of the vote. He vowed to go to court over alleged fraud, Itar-Tass news agency reports.

Britain said it would "judge the new [Russian] government on its actions", while French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the EU and Russia had to start a new dialogue.

In Washington, a White House spokesman said "the United States looks forward to working with him [Medvedev]" - but he avoided commenting on the election itself.

Flaws highlighted

Earlier, the head of observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Andreas Gross, said Russia's "democratic potential" was unfulfilled.


Never before have we had such an unimaginative political campaign
Novaya Gazeta

Press cool on Medvedev win

Mr Gross, whose team was the only Western observer mission in Russia, said candidates had been denied equal access to the media, and registration procedures made it hard for independents to stand.

But he conceded that Mr Medvedev had a solid mandate.

"The results... are a reflection of the will of an electorate whose democratic potential was, unfortunately, not tapped," the PACE 22-member observer mission said.

The elections "had more the character of a plebiscite on the last eight years in this country", PACE said, but added: "the president-elect will have a solid mandate given to him by the majority of Russians".

Mr Putin was barred by the constitution from seeking a third consecutive term but is expected to become prime minister, after his United Russia party won a huge majority in December's parliamentary election.

Last month, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the continent's main election watchdog, decided not to monitor the presidential election because of Moscow's restrictions.

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From the West's standpoint, Medvedev is by far a more attractive leader to deal with

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Only 300 international observers were monitoring the 96,000 polling stations on Sunday.

After the polls, Mr Medvedev said he would control foreign policy and make the defence of Russian interests his chief priority. He confirmed that Mr Putin would be moving out of the Kremlin.

The mainly pro-Kremlin media have welcomed Mr Medvedev's victory.

Izvestia newspaper said the vote was a "triumph of the majority" that created a "bridge to the future for Russia".

Well I ain't welcoming him so don't look at me.