Wednesday, May 10 2006 17:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Moscow: Russia would expand its interaction and cooperation with India, China and the United States, which remain its key partners in ensuring global security and stability, President Vladimir Putin said here today (May 10, 2006).

"US, India and China remain our key international partners and we will expand the framework of cooperation with them including on key issues of global security and stability," Putin said while delivering his state of the nation address at a joint session of Parliament.

His annual state of the nation address, seventh since he took the top Kremlin job, focussed on the pressing issues of shrinking population, modernisation of the Russian economy, defence and national security.

"A tendency toward the expansion of the zone of conflicts and its spreading to the zone of our vital interests has become vivid in the world," Putin stated.

"Comrade wolf knows whom to eat, it is already eating. The wolf does not listen to anyone, he simply goes on eating," Putin said in an obvious reference to the US attempts to gain footing in the former Soviet states by raising the issues of democracy and human rights.

Another threat to national security described by Putin was terror, "With local conflicts, often ethnically and communally motivated and artificially fanned and imposed on the world by extremists of various shades, and it serves as a strong source for the support and armament of terrorists, and a field for using their strength."

"I know some would like Russia to be drawn in these problems and, as a consequence, lose the ability to tackle any of its problems of thorough development," Putin said.