Criticism levelled at Moscow over its democratic record is a shrewd tactic aimed at manipulating Russia's policies, President Vladimir Putin charged in an exclusive interview with CTV News on Tuesday.

"I think this permanent criticism against the issues related to democracy, freedom of media, those are just used as an instrument to interfere into domestic and foreign policies of Russia with a view to affect and influence our policies," Putin told CTV's Moscow Bureau Chief Ellen Pinchuk in the first such interview he has granted to a Canadian broadcaster.

However, even though G8 partners cite the decline in freedom of the press, particularly national television channels, since Putin came to power, the president said, "I do not think this is so."

When pressed to identify Russia's critics, Putin was quick to finger the United States.

"He basically turned tables and accused United States, in no uncertain terms, of using this issue as a way to gain influence on Russian policy and economics. He really made no bones about it," Pinchuk said from Moscow.

"He was really quite forthright, saying that we're happy to have criticism in a fair spirit but when it's being used for political ends, we're going to call a spade a spade."

She noted that Putin's frank remarks were all that more remarkable given that U.S. President George Bush will be attending the Moscow-hosted Group of Eight talks in St. Petersburg on July 15-17.

Along with that summit is a parallel one being organized by political opponents of Putin called "The Other Russia."

The Kremlin has made it clear that if visiting dignitaries attended the other summit, it would be seen as an unfriendly act. But five of the eight, including Canada, will be sending delegates to the alternate summit.

"If the officials from other countries support such undertakings, then that means that they somehow try to influence internal distribution and balance of power in Russia," Putin said.

While that sounds like the suspicions of the Cold War Russia, Putin said, "We are going to fight for our position on the international arena, not by the means of the Cold War times, but through an open and partnership dialogue, including Canada and the U.S."

Energy security

As this year's chairman of the G8, an exclusive club of the world's top industrial democracies, Putin has put global energy security at the top of the agenda.

The nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran are expected to be among the topics on the table, but Putin has said the broader issue is even more important.

"In terms of nuclear technologies, the question is not only about Iran, the question is also about other countries on the threshold of developing nuclear technologies," he said.

"One of the topics of the G8 summit is energy security and one of the ways to overcome energy crisis is development of nuclear energy," he said.

Putin said that while Russia is eager to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, it would be preferable to find workable solutions to allow for the development of what he termed "technologies of tomorrow," rather than to impose sanctions.

"We should create conditions with which the countries could have access to modern technologies including to nuclear technologies but they wouldn't have a concern about the proliferation of nuclear elements," he said.

Referring to the American-led war in Iraq, Putin questioned whether the incursion improved the situation there.

"We see that sometimes our partners sometimes do make mistakes, they were looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but where are these weapons of mass destruction. Is the situation any better there? I think it's questionable," he said.

Observers say the G8 talks in St. Petersburg between the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia, could end up being an awkward affair, amid accusations from Russia's post-Soviet neighbours that the price of energy has been manipulated.

Russia sent shock waves through Europe in January when its state-run natural gas giant Gazprom briefly shut down the taps to Ukraine, disrupting exports to Europe for the first time in four decades.

The Kremlin said the blockade was over a pricing row with Ukraine, but critics allege it was an effort to punish the nation for its West-leaning policies.

However, tempers in Europe have cooled of late, and the debate has moved toward finding ways to implement the International Energy Charter, a document signed but not yet ratified by Russia, which calls for open access to energy resources and pipelines.

At this week's summit, the Canadian delegation will be stressing the need for a free market in the energy sector and increased private investment.

Canada, which will assume the presidency of the international Financial Action Task Force, will also be involved in G8 discussions on curbing terrorist financing.

With a report from CTV's Ellen Pinchuk