Medvedev says against co-run with Putin for presidency

"Together with Vladimir Putin (both my colleague and old friend), we represent to a great extent the same political force," Medvedev said in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper published on Monday.

"In this sense, competition between us could be detrimental to the goals and objectives we have been implementing over the past few years," he said. "It would not be the best scenario for our country and for the current situation."

In line with the Russian Constitution, Putin, who served two presidential terms in 2000-2008, will become eligible for a new presidential run in 2012.

Speculations about who is going to be on the ballot of the ruling United Russia party during the election campaign - Medvedev or Putin - have been running wild both in Russia and abroad.

Medvedev dismissed rumors of growing rivalry with Putin, saying that they might not have similar opinions on certain issues and methods of achieving specific goals, but resolving existing differences only helped move forward.

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