Medvedev to continue Putin's policies

By Denis Dyomkin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's next president, Dmitry Medvedev, said on Sunday that his policies would be a "direct continuation" of Vladimir Putin's but added that he would keep control of foreign policy to defend Russian interests.

"I think that it will be a direct continuation of that path which is being carried out by President Putin," Medvedev told reporters at a news conference when asked about his policies.

"We trust each other, that is probably the most important," said Medvedev, who has worked with Putin for more than 17 years.

"I am convinced that our joint work ... can give the country rather interesting results and become a positive factor in the development of our state."

The 42-year-old former lawyer said he would form his new government and the Kremlin administration in consultation with Putin, who will be prime minister.

"I will work on this jointly with Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, as a future prime minister," Medvedev said.

When asked who would direct foreign policy, Medvedev said this would fall to the president, not the prime minister.

"The president defines Russia's foreign policy according to the constitution," Medvedev. "The office of the president ... is the Kremlin and the place of the prime minister and the government is the White House."