Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair describes his discomfort at receiving a long bearhug from an "unpredictable" President Boris Yeltsin in a new book.
"I recall meeting him at an international summit shortly after the Kosovo conflict," Blair wrote in his memoirs, "A Journey," which were published Wednesday. "[He] came across the room to greet me with one of his famous hugs."
"The hug began. The first 10 seconds were, I thought, wonderfully friendly. The next 10 began to get a little uncomfortable. The following 10 started respiratory problems," he said.
"I finally got released after about a minute and staggered off in search of a stiff drink. I think he made his point," he said.
