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　　2013年1月4日雅思阅读精选：法国影星“乐于”成为俄国公民(From：BBC News)

　　Gerard Depardieu 'pleased' to become Russian citizen

Gerard Depardieu played eccentric Russian monk Grigory Rasputin in a Franco-Russian film in 2011

　　Actor Gerard Depardieu has hailed Russia's decision to grant him citizenship, following a tax row with the government in his native France.

　　In an open letter, he said he loved Russia, calling it "a great democracy".

　　Mr Depardieu had recently announced he would give up his French passport after the government criticised his decision to move abroad to avoid higher taxes.

　　Moscow earlier said President Vladimir Putin had personally signed the decree granting the actor Russian citizenship.

　　In December, Mr Putin had said he would be happy to welcome the actor in his new country. "If he'd like to have a Russian passport, consider it settled," Mr Putin said.

　　Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault had called Mr Depardieu's decision to leave the country "shabby".

　　In the letter, broadcast on Thursday on Russian TV station Pervyi Kanal, Mr Depardieu said: "I filed a passport application and I am pleased that it was accepted.

　　"I love your country, Russia - its people, its history, its writers. I love your culture, your intelligence."

　　He said that he had spoken to French President Francois Hollande and told him Russia was "a great democracy, and not a country where the prime minister calls one of its citizens shabby".

　　'Friend of Putin'

　　Under France's civil code, dual citizenship is permitted but it is unlawful to be stateless.

　　A person must obtain another nationality before giving up French citizenship.

　　Mr Depardieu's highly publicised tax row began last year after Mr Hollande said he would raise taxes to 75% for those earning more than 1m euros (