Putin happy with Turner stake in NTV, ally says


CNN founder Ted Turner is looking at buying a stake in NTV

MOSCOW (CNN) -- A close ally to Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Putin had no problem with CNN founder Ted Turner's possible purchase of a stake in Russia's only independent nationwide television network, NTV.

"At a meeting with the president, we touched upon that subject and the president stated very clearly that if Turner wanted to buy shares in NTV, that wouldn't be a bad thing at all," said Russian parliamentarian Boris Gryzlov.

Putin met with Gryzlov on Monday.

Speaking later, Gryzlov personally criticised what he said was an appeal by Turner to have Putin guarantee that the Russian government would not interfere in the TV network's editorial content.

"It's not correct to request political guarantees when you're deciding a personal issue of investment," said Gryzlov.

A Russian government official on Saturday criticized Turner's attempt to obtain a guarantee from Putin that the Russian government would not interfere in the running of NTV.

Alexei Volin, assistant head of the Russian government's administration, told the Interfax news agency Turner's attempts were "absolutely unrealistic and contradict Russian legislation."

Volin said that if Putin agreed to grant Turner's request, it would be an "example of government protectionism and a violation of the principles of free competition."

"The government," he added, "cannot have the right to create special conditions for certain participants in the market, including the media market."

Turner, he said, was actually trying to get a "krisha" (roof) from the president. The word is usually used to describe criminal forms of protection in Russian business.

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