Opposition protests at Putin during investor forum

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, June 9 (Reuters) Opposition protesters marched through St Petersburg today to demonstrate against President Vladimir Putin while he was hosting a huge conference for investors in his home city.

Around 3,500 people marched peacefully through the historic city centre shouting ''Shame on the Kremlin, shame on the authorities'' and ''Russia without Putin''.

Some carried posters saying ''Putin - Wanted'' while others complained about the Kremlin's tight control of the airwaves, which keeps most opposition figures off television and radio shows.

''I'm furious with our state TV because it never gives any real information about what's going on in the country,'' said Larisa Andreyeva, a 61-year-old pensioner.

In sharp contrast to other opposition demonstrations in past months, which were broken up by baton-wielding riot police, today's march was allowed by the authorities and police kept a low profile apart from a helicopter buzzing overhead.

''The authorities didn't want to ban the protest during the forum,'' chess champion turned opposition leader Garry Kasparov said.

Officials kept the demonstrators' route well away from the heavily guarded Lenexpo conference centre where around 6,000 business leaders, diplomats and presidents were attending the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The Russian government organised the forum to show off the country's economic might and calm investors' nerves after months of political and diplomatic sabre-rattling which has caused tensions with the West to rise sharply.

Andrei Illarionov, who served as an economic adviser to Putin before resigning to join the opposition last year, advised those at the forum to think again about participating: ''Businessmen!,'' he said in a speech to the crowd. ''If you want to help Russia to become stronger and better come to our march instead of going to the Forum.'' Illarionov said that ''no investment, no contract'' could protect businessmen if Russia did not have a proper rule of law -- a reference to complaints by foreign businessmen that the government can act arbitrarily when it wants to take control of assets it deems strategic, such as oil or gas fields.

''The main problem to discuss at an economic forum like this should be the problem of the rule of law,'' he said.

Kasparov addressed the same theme.

''We want investment to be protected and this regime in general lies, they start negotiations instead of transparency, so they need reform as much as we do,'' he told reporters, speaking in English.

REUTERS RJ PM0010