Powell calls for freer Russian media

By Jon Leyne BBC State Department correspondent in Moscow

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, on a visit to Moscow, has expressed his concern about the lack of a free media in Russia.

He called for more access to the media for those running for political office.

The US sees Russia as a partner and friend

Mr Powell's comments came in an interview at the Ekho Moskvy radio station - the last free national broadcaster station in Russia - where the visit was seen as an expression of solidarity with the station.

He said he had spoken with the Russian leadership about the state of the media here.

"We have expressed some concern to President Putin and Russian leaders that we believe a more open media, greater access to the media for people who are running for office and certain other actions that the Russian government has taken causes some concern," he said.

"As friends we expressed that concern to our Russian colleagues."

But Mr Powell went out of his way to stress the progress he believed Russia had made towards democracy.

There was no question of it returning to the days of the Soviet Union, he insisted.

Soft criticism

The US sees Russia as a friend and partner, he added.

And he said he expected President Putin would be invited to attend the summit of the Group of Eight industrial nations in the United States later this year.

Some in America have been pressing for that to be dependent on Mr Putin's human rights record.

So what is really notable about this criticism is how muted it was, bearing in mind the concern there has been around the world about the increasingly authoritarian nature of President Putin's rule.

It is as if Colin Powell wanted to put Washington's views on the record without letting them have any real effect on the relationship between the two countries.