Russian president interview - part 1

Jun 25 - In his first interview with Western media since he took power on May 7, Dmitry Medvedev spoke of a potential diplomatic pact with the EU, his style and corruption in Russia.

In a wide-ranging interview at the Kremlin with Reuters editor-in-chief David Schlesinger, European editor Janet McBride and Moscow Bureau Chief Michael Stott, Medvedev said Russia would bring "the defining values" of "freedom, democracy and the protection of private property" to "our relations with international partners".

He also said Russia was ready to sign a formal agreement on relations with the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT DIMITRY MEDVEDEV SAYING : " The main priority today is to keep to the direction which we've marked out for some time already. What does this mean ? If we are now ready to sign a new basic agreement, of course this is the main task. It is the main task, and what's more, it has to be a serious document, not obscured with concrete detail but it should be a framework construction which will enable us to see the main developments over the year ahead.

This is our priority both legally and organisationally at the summit."

SOUNDBITE (Russian) MEDVEDEV SAYING : "Of course there are sometimes problems, in our relationship (with the EU) when we understand that some EU governments are ready to develop the relationship by taking certain steps, but at the same time, one or a few governments are able to block these steps.

It's an internal question for the EU, set out in the internal rules of the EU and we respect this, but understandably, it doesn't give the EU flexibility in taking decisions."

SOUNDBITE (Russian) MEDVEDEV SAYING : "The defining values are freedom, democracy and the protection of private property. And these are the values we will bring to our relations with our international partners. In this sense our foreign policy cannot be characterised as liberal or conservative or anything else.

It must be a policy that supports and furthers our national interests. And that is its essence."

SCHLESINGER ASKS QUESTION 'SO IF THE SPECIFICS ARE THE SAME, WILL THERE BE A DIFFERENCE IN TONE BETWEEN THE PREVIOUS PRESIDENT AND YOURSELF?'

SOUNDBITE (Russian) MEDVEDEV SAYING : " You understand - nuances of tone, or pronounciation, nuances of style, are always at play, its completely obvious. This is true of any person, a politician is also a person, he has to have his style and his tone, but this doesn't affect the basic tenets of policy. Of course sometimes stylistic differences do matter, but this is a secondary consideration."