Putin wants strong Russia role without confrontation

MOSCOW, June 27 (Reuters) Just over two weeks before hosting a G8 summit, President Vladimir Putin told his top diplomats today to promote Russia's new international ambitions without engaging in confrontation with the West.

But signalling persistent disagreement with the United States over Iran, he said Moscow would not ''join any sort of ultimatums'' that would only make things worse.

And he made clear that Russia's ex-Soviet neighbours could not count on a milder approach from Moscow towards their new pro-Western policies.

''We are not dividing countries into those with whom we will cooperate and those who we will confront,'' Putin told an annual gathering of Russian ambassadors and foreign ministry officials.

''Our (economic) competitors are at the same time our key partners in solving crucial international problems,'' he said in a speech ahead of the Group of Eight summit in St Petersburg.

Putin aims to turn the meeting with leaders of the United States, Britain, France, Japan, Germany, Canada and Italy into a demonstration of Russia's revived global role.

But a new chill in relations with the West, which suspects Putin of rolling back democracy at home and using Russia's energy resources to dictate its will to its neighbours, could still spring unpleasant surprises at the prestigious gathering.

Putin said Russia, inspired by the economic growth which has marked his six years in power, was only claiming back the world status lost in the years of post-Soviet chaos and decline and expected a fair deal from its partners.

''Not everyone was ready to see Russia regaining its economic health and international stature so fast,'' he said. ''Some people look at us through the prism of prejudices of the past and see a threat coming from the reviving Russia.'' ''Russia does not need confrontation in any form,'' he said.

POSITIVE TONE Putin made clear that Russia's opposition to US calls for sanctions against Iran, suspected by the West of trying to obtain nuclear weapons, had not changed.

''We are not going to join any sorts of ultimatums, which will only drive the situation into a corner (and) damage the authority of the United Nations,'' he said.

''We are convinced that involvement in dialogue, rather than isolation of certain states, is the way to solving crises.'' Putin had tough messages for ex-Soviet states which seek to abandon traditional reliance on Russia in favour of a pro-Western orientation -- like Ukraine and Georgia.

He brushed off Georgian complaints that Russian peacekeepers in its breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia were encouraging separatism. ''We will carry on with our peacekeeping mission despite provocations we face every now and then.'' Putin, however, stopped short of backing suggestions by some influential Russian politicians that Abkhazia and South Ossetia should be integrated into Russia.

''We do not question the right of the regional states to decide their fate,'' he said. ''But this means we also have right to chose friends.'' Reuters SHB RS1816