MUNICH, Feb 13: Russia is concerned about US-funded projects to promote civil society and democracy on Russian territory and would not take kindly to the use of such programmes to boost foreign influence over the Russian government , Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said here on Sunday.

Asked if he saw a problem with US funding of such programmes in the wake of a popular "orange revolution" late last year in Ukraine that was encouraged by US-funded groups, Ivanov responded: "Yes, I do."

"The notion of 'democracy' is not exactly one of a potato that can be transplanted from one field to another," Ivanov said at a news conference on the sidelines of the Munich security conference.

Contrary to a picture of democratic roll-back in Russia painted frequently by western media and governments, democracy "has been developing well" in Russia albeit in a way that is adapted specifically to Russian culture and political goals, Ivanov said.

"If you look at Russian newspapers, you will see that most of them are critical of the Russian government," Ivanov said, rejecting assertions that the Kremlin has silenced opposition views in mass media.

He did not refer to the major national broadcast media outlets, most of which are under de facto state control. Ivanov said Russia had no intention of deviating from continued development of democratic government, but said this did not mean it had to accept without question the views of the United States and other western countries of how that should occur.

"We would like to remain masters of our own house at home," Ivanov said. Presidents Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush would have a "frank and open" discussion about US strategy in relations with Russia during Bush's second term at a summit in Bratislava later this month, Ivanov said.

The Russian leadership, which backed the pro-Russian candidate in Ukraine's presidential elections last autumn, was traumatized by the victory of pro-western President Viktor Yushchenko and many Russians believe US taxpayer money played a decisive role in that outcome.

The United States however has consistently denied suggestions that it supported either of the two main candidates in Ukraine's election, saying that it sought only to encourage development of the democratic process in the ex-Soviet republic of 48 million people on Russia's border.

In an interview published on Friday in a Russian newspaper, the new US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States intended to support development of civil society and democracy in Russia through non-governmental organizations.

"We are looking for any ways to support and strengthen civil society in Russia," Rice said in an interview with the Inter fax news agency, published by the daily Kommersant. "And supporting civil society through non-governmental organizations is one of the ways we can help Russia to ensure a more democratic future," she said.

Russian authorities have accused the United States of supporting the opposition in Georgia and Ukraine - where mass protests dislodged pro-Moscow regimes in 2003 and late 2004 in favour of pro-Western leaders.

And Moscow has expressed concern about similar attempts to foment "people power" revolutions in Russia and other Soviet republics. Ivanov also confirmed Putin's announcement last year that Russia was developing a "unique" new-generation strategic nuclear missile system that he said was needed to guarantee the country's sovereignty and would allow Russia to respond effectively "to any kind of threat." -AFP