The scenario under which incumbent President Vladimir Putin becomes prime minister after he steps down in March 2008 has been agreed in advance and could be an "optimum" option to develop the system of power after the end of President Putin's second consecutive term in office, Russian Interfax news agency quoted political pundits as saying on 11 December.

"I do not think that Dmitriy Medvedev's proposal (for Putin to become prime minister after March 2008) was an improvisation. It looks like the scenario has been agreed," the agency quoted president of the Politika Foundation Vyacheslav Nikonov as saying. "This is a predictable scenario and if Medvedev voiced it, one can say it is very likely that it will come true and Putin will head the Russian government in the next four years," he added.

The director of the CIS Institute, Konstantin Zatulin, said Medvedev's proposal was a "final clarification" of the authorities' plan to "ensure the handover of power". The move would bring the Russian government closer to the European model when the winner of a parliamentary election forms the government and becomes its head, he added.

The director of the Institute of Political Studies, Sergey Markov, also agreed that Putin will become prime minister since Medvedev should have got Putin's approval before making his proposal public.

"The likelihood that it (the proposal) will be fulfilled is very high. In that case they (Putin and Medvedev) will practically work in tandem, but Vladimir Putin will still be the real leader because the country knows Vladimir Putin better and will primarily vote for him," the agency quoted him as saying.

If Putin becomes prime minister he would control not only the parliamentary majority, but also the secret services, Markov said.