Russia's Federation Council, upper house of the parliament, has approved the presidential election date for March 2, 2008, on Monday.

The presidential election campaign period will be from Feb. 2 to 29, 2008, Interfax news agency cited Chairman of the Russian Central Election Commission Vladimir Churov on Monday's Federation Council session.

President Vladimir Putin has pledged to step down next year.

(Xinhua News Agency November 27, 2007)