PUTIN TO GIVE INTERVIEW TO INTERNET PUBLICATIONS








MOSCOW, MARCH 6, 2001 /FROM RIA NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENT OLEG OSIPOV/ -- On Tuesday President of Russia will for the first time give an interview to Internet publications.


	As the press service of the head of state reported, during an hour beginning from 18.00 Moscow time the President of Russia will answer the questions of three Internet mass media - the Russian Gazeta.Ru and Strana.Ru and the British BBC On-line.


	Putin will answer the questions at a specially equipped studio in the Kremlin. They will install a monitor in front of the President on which the questions of the users of the world computer network will appear. Vladimir Putin himself will choose the question he likes by pressing the "mouse" and answer it. Three correspondents of the above-mentioned publications will stay at the studio together with the head of state.


	The network publications are planning to provide the readers both with the text version of the interview in the real-time regime and the direct audio and video broadcasts of it.


	As of the March 5 night, the head of the Russian state received more than 12,000 questions by e-mail of the three publications. The character of questions and the range of the themes to be discussed was not determined in advance. The President will not be able to read all the questions - the special "filters" will automatically cut off those containing abusive words or expressions.


	The Kremlin did not have to buy additional equipment for holding an Internet conference. The residence of the head of the Russian state is fitted out with the most up-to-date equipment.


	The President of Russia earlier, too, showed interest in the problems of the "world network" and spoke about them.


	Vladimir Putin's election staff opened a special page in the Internet for the time of the presidential elections.


	After the election of Vladimir Putin to the post of the head of state the Kremlin press service for the first time opened the President's web site in the Internet at which the speeches of Vladimir Putin, his working schedule and the reports by the press service are presented. The readers of the page can send letters to the President of Russia.