Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday he is proud of how he and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev have managed to divide leadership in the country without interfering with each other.
Putin has been on a working visit to Italy since Sunday to discuss cooperation in energy and science. Official bilateral meetings were held on Monday.
Putin and his Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi held a joint press conference on the results of their negotiations. An Italian journalist asked a question on Putin-Medvedev's relations, referring to it as a "marriage."
"Mr. Medvedev and I are people of traditional orientation. I can tell you this with complete certainty, so in regard to 'matrimonial alliances,' you have pushed it a bit," Putin said, adding that the journalist had posed her question very "creatively."
"But we have been on friendly terms for many, many years, as I've said before. I believe we can be proud of how we have arranged our work today. We act strictly in the interests of the country and the Russian people. We have divided our responsibilities in line with the Russian Constitution and legislature," he said.
Putin said he deals in economic and social spheres, while international topics, defense and some economic issues are the president's spheres of work.
Putin said achieving national interests is the major issue of bilateral cooperation between Russia and Italy.
LESMO, April 26 (RIA Novosti)
