The Russian president is not interested in further confrontation with the West and will in the near future take a number of measures meant to improve relations and dialogue with key western partners. One of the likely measures is the replacement of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports. In the recent conflict with Georgia, the popular and respected Minister Lavrov has been a hardliner in relations with the West. His patriotic rhetoric might now have gone too far, the newspaper writes. Sources close to the Kremlin now say that Mr. Lavrov might be “promoted” to a position of Deputy Prime Minister, but that he definitely will not any longer be the country’s top diplomat. The upcoming softer approach in relations with the West, both with the EU and the USA, will be followed up by concrete measures proposed by a working group headed by Deputy Head of the presidential aministration Aleksey Gromov. Mr. Gromov is also seen as a likely replacement of Mr. Lavrov. Today, a main task in Mr. Grovov’s work is the international marketing of Russian official positions. He is believed to be the man behind the establishment of the English-language Russia Today TV channel and the Valday Club – the dialogue forum between the Moscow power establishment and western media and analysts. Despite the announced softer line from the Kremlin, however, President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin will not back on the recognition of the two breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhasia.
