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Kudrin refusal to work in future govt no affront -- Peskov

On September 26, Kudrin, after taking counsel with Prime Minister Putin, petitioned Medvedev in a request to relieve him of the duties of Vice-Premier and Finance Minister

MOSCOW, October 5 (Itar-Tass) — The refusal by ex-Minister of Finance Alexei Kudrin to work in a future government if it is headed by Dmitry Medvedev should not be regarded as an affront, Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, told the Dozhd (rain) television channel on Tuesday night in a live broadcast.

"The words about disagreement either with Putin or Medvedev cannot and should not be interpreted as a personal affront in any way," Peskov said. The press secretary's opinion is that such words can be only perceived as unpreparedness or unwillingness to work together with this or that superior.

Peskov also pointed out that Kudrin's pronouncements were made by him without clarifications or explanations, which was "incompatible with the position held by Kudrin in the Cabinet of Ministers".

At the end of September Alexei Kudrin, who was attending a session of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, stated that he was not planning to work in a new government after the 2012 presidential polls, if it is headed by the now Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Kudrin said his attitude is accounted for by the existence of a number of differences between him and Medvedev over economic policy. In reply, the Russian president demanded that Kudrin give explanations, and then suggested that he tender his resignation.

On September 26, Kudrin, after taking counsel with Prime Minister Putin, petitioned Medvedev in a request to relieve him of the duties of Vice-Premier and Finance Minister.

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