MOSCOW. Oct 2 (Interfax) - Leader of Fair Russia party and Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov believes that with President Vladimir Putin's decision to head the party ticket of United Russia, the country has begun a transition to a two-party system.

MOSCOW. Sept 23 (Interfax) - The Fair Russia party will be forging an ideology of new Socialism, Fair Russia leader Sergei Mironov said. "This model of Socialism will be numbered 3.0. Russia had a first Soviet-era model of Socialism, and a second, Western European model.

Excerpt from report by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 23 September: Leader of A Just Russia party and speaker of the Federation Council Sergey Mironov has said that his party is ready to stand up to dirty tricks and opposition from One Russia, the CPRF and LDPR.

Text of report by Russian news agency Interfax Mo

Vladimir Putin, due to step down as Russian president next year, backs the idea of allowing his successors to serve longer terms in the Kremlin but insists their stay should not be open-ended.