Putin appoints acting security council head

MOSCOW, July 18 (Reuters) Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed KGB veteran Valentin Sobolev as acting secretary of the security council after Igor Ivanov tendered his resignation, the Kremlin said today.

Putin signed a decree appointing Sobolev, who has served as deputy secretary of the council since 1999, according to an announcement on the Kremlin website www.kremlin.ru.

The security council, which includes Russia's most powerful ministers, intelligence officials and generals, plays a key role in foreign policy, dealing with delicate negotiations such as Iran's nuclear programme.

Some analysts say the security council could gather still more influence ahead of next year's March presidential elections.

Ivanov, a former foreign minister, tendered his resignation unexpectedly this month after serving as its secretary since 2004.

The reason for Ivanov's resignation was not given.

Sobolev, 60, served in the Soviet KGB and then its main successor, the Federal Security Service (FSB), rising to first deputy director of the service in 1994.

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