The Russian government will welcome BP CEO Tony Hayward to any new post in the Russian-British TNK-BP joint venture, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said on Wednesday.

"The format of work can be different," Sechin said, adding Hayward will be welcome in any post he may be appointed to.

Hayward's leadership came under severe criticism this summer after a BP oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, the worst ecological disaster in U.S. history, which led to multibillion dollar losses for the company.

BP said in July it would nominate Hayward for a seat on the TNK-BP board.

"We have a good contact [with Hayward], there is nothing wrong if he is to participate in development of TNK-BP," Sechin said.

BP's incoming CEO, Robert Dudley will take up his new post from October 1, 2010

Dudley is no stranger to Russia, having headed TNK-BP, owned by the AAR consortium and BP on a parity basis, from 2003-2008.

He was forced to quit after a management dispute in which the Russian shareholders accused him of running the company purely in the interests of BP and insisted on his removal.

KRASNOYARSK, September 1 (RIA Novosti)