PRAGUE - The Czech government said Sunday that it had doubts about the validity of the Russian election in which President Vladimir Putin`s party is heading for a major triumph.
"The future composition of the Russian parliament will always remain under a shadow of doubt about the circumstances" of the election, said a foreign ministry statement.
It added that the "election campaign did not conform to democratic standards."
The ministry highlighted action by Russian state bodies against "opposition forces" and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe`s withdrawal of its monitoring mission from Russia. The OSCE blamed Russia`s lack of cooperation for the move.
The Czech Republic said there had not been a "free and just" approach to the elections in Russia.
Relations between Russia and the Czech Republic have been badly hit by US plans to base a missile shield system in Poland and the Czech Republic.
jma/tw/ag
12/02/2007 21:40 GMT