Putin Seen Tapping Ambassador To U.S.

(From The Moscow Times)

Russia's ambassador to the United States is expected to be recalled to Moscow to oversee Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's foreign policy team, a government spokesman said Friday.

The recall of Yury Ushakov, a veteran diplomat, to serve as deputy to Cabinet chief of staff Sergei Sobyanin could indicate a shifting of powers from the Kremlin to the White House, political analysts said. Under the Constitution, the president is in charge of foreign policy issues.

The government spokesman had few details about the possible appointment.

"There is no such decree as of yet, but I expect one to be issued in the near future," the spokesman said, requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on an appointment before it was made official.

Kommersant, citing government sources, reported Friday that Ushakov would be assigned the task of coordinating the government's foreign policy, effectively snatching away an area of authority held by President Dmitry Medvedev and the Kremlin administration.

A government official, however, denied that such an appointment would have any effect on the balance of power between the Kremlin and the White House. "It is the government's task to maintain international contacts in the sphere of economics and trade," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk with the media.