The Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo,

on the new Russian president

Sunday's presidential election in Russia went exactly according to a scenario scripted by the incumbent Vladimir Putin. Dmitri Medvedev, handpicked by Putin, won a landslide victory as widely expected, making it look as if Putin gave himself the right to name his successor.

The election outcome was almost clear even before ballots were cast. The question now is how Putin will try to maintain his power and influence after Medvedev takes office in May.

After the resounding victory of the ruling party backing Putin in parliamentary elections in December, he named Medvedev, the first deputy prime minister, as his successor. Putin then pledged to serve as Medvedev's prime minister if he was elected president. ...

The 42-year-old Medvedev has only limited administrative experience. He has vowed to keep Russia on the path set by his political mentor. But if he simply upholds Putin's policies, he will be criticised as a puppet leader whose strings are pulled by Putin. If, on the other hand, he seeks independence from Putin and tries to chart a new course for the nation, the tandem arrangement will collapse. ...

Who will be the ultimate power holder? Unless this becomes clear, Russian politics will enter a period of instability, despite high expectations of continued stability among the people.

Daily Star, Beirut, Lebanon,

on Turkey and the Middle East

Several parts of the Middle East are locked in crisis, the core cause remains the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the resultant complications have pitted world and regional powers against one another. Despite myriad complications, one country deals with virtually all other players in the region but has yet to realise its potential as moderating force:

Turkey, whose good relations with seemingly apposite forces was clearly demonstrated when its recent campaign against Kurdish rebels inside Iraq was supported by both Iran and Syria on one hand, and America on the other.

Turkey is a mostly Muslim country in a mostly Muslim region, but it also has a secular and democratic government in an area where most regimes manifestly lack such pedigrees. In addition, it maintains a close relationship with Israel and has done much to earn the Jewish state's trust.

Officially, the lead sponsor in any peace process is likely to remain America, but even the tatters of Washington's credibility as a fair broker have gone up in smoke because of its unconditional support for Israel. Having the Turks take a major supporting role could therefore do much to protect the interests of the Palestinians — as well as to gain the trust of Arabs and Muslims in a process that will be difficult under even ideal circumstances.