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| Alex Salmond says Putin pride remark was not ill-judged | Alex Salmond says Putin pride remark was not ill-judged |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has said remarks he made about admiring Russian president Vladimir Putin were not ill-judged. | Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has said remarks he made about admiring Russian president Vladimir Putin were not ill-judged. |
| In a magazine interview he had commended Mr Putin on "restoring a substantial part of Russian pride". | In a magazine interview he had commended Mr Putin on "restoring a substantial part of Russian pride". |
| However, a number of Westminster politicians called Mr Salmond's comments a "gross error of judgement". | However, a number of Westminster politicians called Mr Salmond's comments a "gross error of judgement". |
| A wide-ranging interview with the first minister is due to be published in GQ magazine on 1 May. | A wide-ranging interview with the first minister is due to be published in GQ magazine on 1 May. |
| The interview, by former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell, was conducted six weeks ago - before Russia annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea. | |
| Asked about whether he admired Mr Putin, Mr Salmond is reported to have said: "Certain aspects. He's restored a substantial part of Russian pride and that must be a good thing. | Asked about whether he admired Mr Putin, Mr Salmond is reported to have said: "Certain aspects. He's restored a substantial part of Russian pride and that must be a good thing. |
| "There are aspects of Russian constitutionality and the inter-mesh with business and politics that are obviously difficult to admire. Russians are fantastic people, incidentally, they are lovely people." | "There are aspects of Russian constitutionality and the inter-mesh with business and politics that are obviously difficult to admire. Russians are fantastic people, incidentally, they are lovely people." |
| Speaking to the BBC about the remarks, Mr Salmond insisted they were not ill-judged. | Speaking to the BBC about the remarks, Mr Salmond insisted they were not ill-judged. |
| Sochi Olympics | Sochi Olympics |
| He said: "I deprecated Russian actions, for example in Ukraine, and also its human rights record, and made that absolutely clear. | He said: "I deprecated Russian actions, for example in Ukraine, and also its human rights record, and made that absolutely clear. |
| "I was pointing out the Western press have tended to underestimate Putin and I think that is also quite clear. | "I was pointing out the Western press have tended to underestimate Putin and I think that is also quite clear. |
| "And when I spoke about Russian pride, it was in the aftermath of the Sochi Olympics which I think most people would agree were well run, a success and restored Russian pride. | "And when I spoke about Russian pride, it was in the aftermath of the Sochi Olympics which I think most people would agree were well run, a success and restored Russian pride. |
| "They were balanced remarks and any reasonable interpretation would say they were pretty sensible as well." | "They were balanced remarks and any reasonable interpretation would say they were pretty sensible as well." |
| However, Mr Salmond was criticised by Foreign Secretary William Hague, Labour MP Jim Murphy and Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Sir Menzies Campbell. | However, Mr Salmond was criticised by Foreign Secretary William Hague, Labour MP Jim Murphy and Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Sir Menzies Campbell. |
| At Prime Minister's Question Time on Wednesday, David Cameron also claimed that Mr Salmond had made a ''major error of judgement'' for talking favourably about Mr Putin. | At Prime Minister's Question Time on Wednesday, David Cameron also claimed that Mr Salmond had made a ''major error of judgement'' for talking favourably about Mr Putin. |
| The Tory leader was speaking after the matter was raised in the House of Commons by the Labour MP for Edinburgh East, Sheila Gilmore. | The Tory leader was speaking after the matter was raised in the House of Commons by the Labour MP for Edinburgh East, Sheila Gilmore. |