(2 Mar 2001) Russian/Nat
XFA
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was lavished with compliments by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and the formerly hostile Russian media on his 70th birthday.

Gorbachev met his closest friends and collegues for a concert held in his honour in Moscow on Friday.

He was accompanied by his daughter Irina.

Relaxed and smiling, Gorbachev seemed to be relishing his birthday celebrations and the flurry of refound popularity.

During the 1990s, Gorbachev was despised both by Russian liberals - for what they saw as pandering to the West - and by Russian conservatives - for his role in the Soviet Union's collapse.

But Putin praised Gorbachev's reforms and for carrying on his political work through the Gorbachev Foundation.

Gorbachev's former politburo ally Alexander Yakovlev, often considered the co-founder of Gorbachev's perestroika, also paid tribute to him.

Moscow's streets echoed with the celebratory atmosphere.

Banners were hung earlier in the week to wish "Mikhail Sergeyevich a happy birthday."

The former president is currently working on a television series, called "Secrets of Power", featuring interviews with other key world leaders, which he will present.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Mikhail Gorbachev is the person who once had presented us business of free journalists. I wish him good health, taking good care for his grandchildren and another 70 years of life."
SUPER CAPTION: Alexey Venediktov, 'Echo of Moscow' radio station host

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"He turned over the whole Russia. Since that time Russia has gone away from totalitarian regime while it had been ruled for a thousand years by personalities but not by the laws. Finally Russia turned to the road of freedom."
SUPER CAPTION: Alexander Yakovlev, Gorbachev`s deputy in the former Soviet leadership

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