Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday held a question-and-answer session with the public, his first as the premier and leader of the ruling United Russia party.

　　During the over-three-hour live program, Putin answered a barrage of questions ranging from the ongoing global financial crisis to the country's foreign policies.

　　Answering questions from the Russian citizens, Putin also described President Dmitry Medvedev's proposal to extend presidential term as reasonable.

　　"Longer office (of the president) is a matter of taste to a certain extent. Yet I think this proposal is justifiable in such a huge country as Russia," he said.

　　After the televised question-and-answer session, Putin told reporters he would think about running for president again and make a decision by 2012.

　　"The next elections are in 2012, meanwhile everybody should toe the line. Let's not make a fuss," he said.

　　Both houses of Russia's parliament approved in November constitutional changes extending the presidential term from four to six years and the lower house term from four to five years.

　　Medvedev's proposal, which he made in his first state-of-the-nation address on Nov. 5, was seen by some analysts as an attempt to pave the way for Putin to return to the Kremlin.