Mr Putin's spokesman said the joke was not meant to be overheard (AtW: he is saying the truth for a change - to make sure it was not overheard in Russia no TV channels reported it, and no big newspapers either)
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has been overheard joking about the virility of his Israeli counterpart, who is accused of multiple rape.
A Russian journalist said Mr Putin joked that President Moshe Katsav was a "mighty man", adding "we all envy him".
Mr Katsav is facing allegations that he raped members of his staff. He strongly denies the claims.
A Kremlin spokesman admitted Mr Putin made a joke, but said it was not meant to be overheard.
The quip was made at the end of a press conference held by Mr Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Moscow, which focused mainly on the Iran crisis.
I don't think that the proper translation is able to reflect the meaning of the joke
Dmitri Peskov
Kremlin spokesman
Dmitri Peskov
Kremlin spokesman
The microphone then went dead, but journalist Andrei Kolesnikov told the BBC he heard the rest of the comment.
He said the president continued: "What a mighty man he turns out to be! I would never have expected this from him. He surprised us all - we all envy him!"
There reportedly followed loud laughter among the official delegations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov admitted: "Yes really, these words were pronounced."
But he said it "in no way means that President Putin welcomes rape".
"The president was joking," he told the BBC's World Today radio programme.
"Russian is a very complicated language, sometimes it is very sensitive from the point of view of phrasing.
"I don't think that the proper translation is able to reflect the meaning of the joke."
Israeli police have said there is enough evidence to charge Mr Katsav, 60, over allegations of "rape, forced sexual acts, sexual acts without consent and sexual harassment".
He may also be charged with wire-tapping.
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The man has got very good self-control (they teach that in KGB), but he got relaxed recently by getting used to state controls that would whitewash anything, from time to time such phrases get out and they show up what a murdering scum he is - ****ing thanks to drunkard Eltsin who selected him as heir.
