| MOSCOW, March 1 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia's opposition liberal
parties have offered restrained comments on the nomination of Mikhail Fradkov
as prime minister.
At the same time, YABLOKO and Union of Right-Wing Forces (SPS) parties
said "it will be the president's government".
Former SPS leader Boris Nemtsov would not comment, while another former
party co-chairman Irina Khakamada said it would be a "technical"
government, but noted that the new prime minister "does not belong
to any of the clans".
Deputy head of the YABLOKO party Sergei
Ivanenko said that President Vladimir Putin's decision was "quite
logical in terms of building a new system of power".
He believes Fradkov's appointment was not unexpected. "It's rather
a government of the president than a government of Russia," he added.
At the same time, he stressed, "It is not only the concentration
of power but also the concentration of responsibility". "It
is too early yet to say what kind of policy the new government will pursue,
but it is obvious that all questions have to be addressed to the president,"
Ivanenko said.
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