President Of Russia Vladimir Putin Arrives In USA On Official Visit

President of Russia Vladimir Putin has arrived in the USA on an official visit. A RIA Novosti correspondent reports that the airliner of the Russian head of state landed at the Andrews air base in a Washington suburb. Vladimir Putin and his wife were welcomed by US Secretary of State Colin Powell. After the landing the US president will go to the Blair House residence situated opposite to the White House. The official ceremony of Vladimir Putin's meeting with US president George Bush will take place at the White House on Tuesday, and then Russian-US summit talks will begin. The Russian journalists covering the president's arrival were the first official newsmen to be let into the Andrews air base which was closed after the September 11th terrorist acts. As representatives of the base told the RIA Novosti correspondent, it was opened to journalists at the Russian side's request.