Medvedev, opposition leaders discuss political reforms in Russia

Political reforms in Russia are more important for "unregistered" parties than for the mainstream ones, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday. In his unprecedented meeting with opposition leaders of parties that have been denied registration, Medvedev said time for the country's political reforms has come. "Our political system is far from being perfect. Most of those who are present here have criticized it," Medvedev said. "I hope to hear supports (on the reform) from you, because the liberalization of political parties' registration could be more important for you than for the parties which have been in political life for a long time," he said. After the meeting, presidential spokeswoman Natalia Timakova told reporters the Kremlin would consider proposals tabled by these opposition leaders in this week. Among the proposals, the opposition demanded parties be registered without the authorities' permission or governors' nomination and that the registration procedures be simplified. The Kremlin has turned cold shoulder to some other political forces following mass rallies in Moscow and other cities that protested against alleged vote fraud in the Dec. 4 parliamentary elections last year.