Kissinger, a 'wise man,' visits Putin

MOSCOW, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, interested in talking to "a wise man," was visited by former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, a Putin aide said.

Putin's press secretary, Dmitri S. Peskov, told The New York Times the two "old friends," getting together Friday, have met eight or 10 times over the years to discuss world affairs.

Peskov said Putin was interested in Kissinger's views on domestic politics.

"He values everyone's point of view, and especially such a wise man as Henry Kissinger," Peskov said.

The meeting between Putin and Kissinger takes place amid allegations the United States was behind a series of protests sparked by charges of fraud surrounding Russia's Dec. 4 parliamentary elections.

Earlier this week a report on Russia's state-controlled television accused the American ambassador of working to provoke a revolution.

Russian camera crews followed human rights activists and opposition politicians to the U.S. Embassy for meetings with the ambassador and visiting deputy secretary of state.