Cautious welcome in Europe for Medvedev's victory

Dmitry Medvedev’s victory in the Russian presidential election was greeted cautiously across Europe today, as leaders said they hoped he could mend relations damaged during Vladimir Putin's presidency.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote Mr Medvedev to congratulate him and to emphasise that he wanted to repair relations that sank to a new low after the Kremlin’s refusal to hand over the suspect in the 2006 poisoning death of ex-Russian security officer Alexander Litvinenko.

Mr Litvinenko’s killing led to retaliatory expulsions of diplomats in both countries. The Kremlin accuses the British Council, a cultural organisation, of being an espionage front and forced two of its offices in Russia to close.

Berlin said the fact Mr Putin’s hand-picked successor won with 70% of the vote showed Russians’ desire for continuity and stability.

Mr Medvedev has spoken out for “the modernisation of Russia and the strengthening of the state of law over recent months – the German government welcomes that,” Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman said.

In Rome, Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema called Russia “a different democracy compared to those we are used to in the Western world” but expressed optimism about 42-year-old Mr Medvedev.

“Dmitry Medvedev is without a doubt a young leader, a friend of our country, not hostile to the West, with whom we need to find a common language,” Mr D’Alema said.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said it was undeniable that a majority of Russians wanted Mr Medvedev, but said democracy in Russia still had a long way to go. -AP