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Putin Begins Visit to Britain
VOA News
24 Jun 2003, 13:22 UTC

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in London at the start of a four-day state visit - the first to Britain by a Russian leader in 129 years.

The Russian leader is being greeted with full honors, traveling through the streets of the British capital in a golden carriage and staying at Buckingham Palace as the guest of Queen Elizabeth II.

Mr. Putin is the first Russian head of state to officially visit Britain since Czar Alexander the Second in 1874. The British Royal family severed relations with the Russian leadership in 1918 after Communist leaders executed Russia's last czar, Nicholas II, a distant relative of the family.

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev made an official visit to London in 1989. But he made the trip as a Soviet and not Russian leader.

Both countries are hoping the visit will help improve relations after deep disagreements over the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Britain was a key partner in the military action, while Moscow opposed it.

Mr. Putin has publicly chided British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the West's failure so far to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The two leaders are to hold talks on Thursday.

Mr. Blair has said he is likely to bring up Russia's war in Chechnya when he speaks with Mr. Putin. Human rights groups have accused Russia of numerous violations in Chechnya.

Mr. Putin and Mr. Blair will also open an energy conference, where British and Russian oil companies are expected to finalize a merger that will make Britain the world's largest foreign investor in Russia.

Some information for this report provided by Reuters, AP and AFP.