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Russian writers snub Putin on birthday

MOSCOW, RUSSIA Oct 07 2009 10:36

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Some of Russia's leading writers said they had declined invitations to meet Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, the day of the Russian strongman's 57th birthday.

Putin was due to meet several of Russia's best known writers, reportedly including Siberian novelist Valentin Rasputin and the prize-winning Andrei Bitov later on Wednesday, for what has been touted as a wide-ranging discussion.

But at least two of the best known figures invited -- Dmitry Bykov and Lyudmila Ulitskaya -- turned down the invitations to meet the Russian prime minister, they said.

Ulitskaya has been garlanded with awards in Russia and abroad for a string of widely praised novels including Kukotsky Case, a winner of the Russian Booker prize, and most recently Daniel Stein, Translator.

Dmitry Bykov is one of Russia's most familiar literary figures and the author of works including a biography of the Soviet poet Boris Pasternak.

"I am not attending," Ulitskaya told Agence France-Presse. "I am leaving today on my holidays and I bought my tickets in advance," she added without giving further details.

Bykov told Moscow Echo radio that he would have considered attending, but Putin's birthday was a bad choice for the event.

"The fact it's on his birthday turns it into protocol. My upbringing does not allow me to see someone on his birthday and then talk about problems with him, to express criticism."

Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that several writers were unable to come but denied this was because of any objections towards the prime minister. -- AFP