Russian President Vladimir Putin is opposed to any changes in the constitution aimed at extending the presidential term, the Kremlin press service said Friday.

The president did not see "any need or use in changing the constitution," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

He said President Putin's stance over the issue remained unchanged.

Peskov made the remarks after Sergei Mironov, speaker of Russia's Federation Council, proposed earlier in the day that presidents should be permitted to serve more than two consecutive terms and the presidential term should be extended to more than four years.

"Four years is a short period of time for a large country like Russia," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted Mironov as saying.

Boris Gryzlov, speaker of the State Duma, however, quickly expressed his opposition to the proposal, saying that the United Russia party, which dominates the lower house, would defend the constitution.

(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2007)