Over drinks at a Moscow beer hall, President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Tony Blair talked about the U.S. presidential election and, it seems possible, women.
Asked how he and Blair were getting along, Putin replied, "We have a joke in Russia ?€” that when Russian men get together at work they talk about ladies. And when they meet outside the office with the ladies, they talk about work."
Blair paid a lightning visit to Moscow on Monday and Tuesday, his fifth since Putin came to power. Both leaders were clearly delighted with their formal Kremlin talks Tuesday ?€” and even more so with a less formal evening out at a pub, shown repeatedly on television.
At a joint news conference Tuesday, Putin said he and his Downing Street colleague had exchanged views at the pub on the U.S. presidential election, which remains mired in a vote recount in Florida.
"We discussed this very important issue yesterday over a beer," Putin said.
Both Blair and Putin agreed that election was little cause for concern and would be decided by the American democratic process.
The two men followed up the night on the town with a three-hour talk in an ornate Kremlin hall that focused on nuclear arms control, European security and bilateral economic ties.
Before the talks got under way, Blair parried suggestions that moving closer to Russia meant soft-pedaling Western concerns about the Kremlin?€™s dedication to press freedom or the war in Chechnya, which continues to grind on.
"I know people say there is a risk in being so close with Russia and President Putin, but I think this is something that is well worth doing," Blair said.
"It?€™s important for Britain that we have a Russia that is stable, engaged in the outside world. If Britain can play a role in that, I think that?€™s good for the world."
Putin, in turn, backed Blair on the sensitive issue of setting up a joint European security force, saying that Russia wouldn?€™t try to oppose creation of one. Speaking to reporters after the Kremlin talks, Blair said the new force was intended to make the continent more stable.
"There is no concept of a European army," Blair said. "It?€™s limited to peacekeeping, peace enforcement and humanitarian missions."
Putin used the occasion to reassert strong opposition to talk in the United States of modifying the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty to build defenses against a possible missile threat.
But the president also left room for maneuver.
"We are ready to maintain contacts with our U.S. partners and exchange information and explain our position with our European negotiating partners," he said. "We are in favor of looking together to find ways to resolve this matter."
Blair, who says he is prepared to mediate between Washington and Moscow on the ABM and missile shield issue, backed further talks as "the right and sensible way of approaching this issue."
Blair paid a high-profile unofficial visit to St. Petersburg in March, when Putin was still acting president ?€” the two men and their wives went to the opera ?€” and the trip was seen as an image-booster for Putin just ahead of the March 26 presidential election.
Putin reciprocated by making Britain the first Western country he visited after being elected. The two leaders also have talked to each other on the sidelines of several international summits, addressing each other as "Tony" and "Volodya."
Througout, Blair has sung Putin?€™s praises, and Tuesday he was offering an upbeat portrait of the Russian president in an interview to the British Broadcasting Corp.
"I don?€™t think it?€™s surprising that [Putin] is, and presents himself, as a strong patriotic leader for Russia. I don?€™t think it?€™s a bad thing," Blair told the BBC.
"The scale of the problems he is dealing with dwarf anything the rest of us have to deal with."
"It is important to realize the Russian concern about destabilization in Russia ?€¦ their concern about acts of terrorism and sabotage," he added ?€” a statement that echoed the Kremlin?€™s contention that the military action in Chechnya is necessary to put down terrorists who aim to break Russia apart.
"It?€™s just important that we get those things in balance and understand how he is trying to deal with these problems from his own perspective." (Reuters, AP)
Asked how he and Blair were getting along, Putin replied, "We have a joke in Russia ?€” that when Russian men get together at work they talk about ladies. And when they meet outside the office with the ladies, they talk about work."
Blair paid a lightning visit to Moscow on Monday and Tuesday, his fifth since Putin came to power. Both leaders were clearly delighted with their formal Kremlin talks Tuesday ?€” and even more so with a less formal evening out at a pub, shown repeatedly on television.
At a joint news conference Tuesday, Putin said he and his Downing Street colleague had exchanged views at the pub on the U.S. presidential election, which remains mired in a vote recount in Florida.
"We discussed this very important issue yesterday over a beer," Putin said.
Both Blair and Putin agreed that election was little cause for concern and would be decided by the American democratic process.
The two men followed up the night on the town with a three-hour talk in an ornate Kremlin hall that focused on nuclear arms control, European security and bilateral economic ties.
Before the talks got under way, Blair parried suggestions that moving closer to Russia meant soft-pedaling Western concerns about the Kremlin?€™s dedication to press freedom or the war in Chechnya, which continues to grind on.
"I know people say there is a risk in being so close with Russia and President Putin, but I think this is something that is well worth doing," Blair said.
"It?€™s important for Britain that we have a Russia that is stable, engaged in the outside world. If Britain can play a role in that, I think that?€™s good for the world."
Putin, in turn, backed Blair on the sensitive issue of setting up a joint European security force, saying that Russia wouldn?€™t try to oppose creation of one. Speaking to reporters after the Kremlin talks, Blair said the new force was intended to make the continent more stable.
"There is no concept of a European army," Blair said. "It?€™s limited to peacekeeping, peace enforcement and humanitarian missions."
Putin used the occasion to reassert strong opposition to talk in the United States of modifying the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty to build defenses against a possible missile threat.
But the president also left room for maneuver.
"We are ready to maintain contacts with our U.S. partners and exchange information and explain our position with our European negotiating partners," he said. "We are in favor of looking together to find ways to resolve this matter."
Blair, who says he is prepared to mediate between Washington and Moscow on the ABM and missile shield issue, backed further talks as "the right and sensible way of approaching this issue."
Blair paid a high-profile unofficial visit to St. Petersburg in March, when Putin was still acting president ?€” the two men and their wives went to the opera ?€” and the trip was seen as an image-booster for Putin just ahead of the March 26 presidential election.
Putin reciprocated by making Britain the first Western country he visited after being elected. The two leaders also have talked to each other on the sidelines of several international summits, addressing each other as "Tony" and "Volodya."
Througout, Blair has sung Putin?€™s praises, and Tuesday he was offering an upbeat portrait of the Russian president in an interview to the British Broadcasting Corp.
"I don?€™t think it?€™s surprising that [Putin] is, and presents himself, as a strong patriotic leader for Russia. I don?€™t think it?€™s a bad thing," Blair told the BBC.
"The scale of the problems he is dealing with dwarf anything the rest of us have to deal with."
"It is important to realize the Russian concern about destabilization in Russia ?€¦ their concern about acts of terrorism and sabotage," he added ?€” a statement that echoed the Kremlin?€™s contention that the military action in Chechnya is necessary to put down terrorists who aim to break Russia apart.
"It?€™s just important that we get those things in balance and understand how he is trying to deal with these problems from his own perspective." (Reuters, AP)