Putin rules out third term as president

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has ruled out running for re-election in 2008, the Kremlin said yesterday.

Amid continuing speculation about the Russian leader’s wish to remain in power despite a constitutional bar on a third consecutive term, Mr Putin told a group of media executives that he would not seek to change the constitution.

“I will not change the constitution and in line with the constitution, you cannot run for president three times in a row,” he said, according to the presidential administration.