British Premier to Visit Moscow

Meeting in Moscow on Tuesday, British Premier Tony Blair and Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss postwar restoration of Iraq and Mideastern settlement, reported the official spokesman for the British premier's office.

He also said the conversation would not be limited to these two subjects.

In the meantime, London-based observers all point to the promptness with which the sides organised the Moscow meeting. In their opinion, this particular fact proves that the two countries' leaders follow the practice of close contacts to conduct a dialogue on the vital issues of world politics and bilateral relations.

Observers believe the Moscow summit has a symbolic character, being the first meeting between Putin and Blair since the end of the military operation in Iraq, an issue where London and Moscow's positions differed but did not affect their partnership and co-operation based on wide and long-term strategic interests.

Observers also note that when it comes to principles, Britain and Russia's positions concerning the central role of the United Nations have much in common. There are common grounds and an understanding of the role that the UN might be able to play in the postwar restoration of Iraq. In fact, the upcoming exchange of opinions between the leaders of the two countries is meant to increase mutual understanding concerning the issue, which deals with international security on the whole and the national interests of each side in particular.

The upcoming discussion of the Mideastern subject and the beginning of full-scale realisation of the so-called Road Map Plan is just as important from the point of view of world politics. Rapid movement in this direction, which the meeting between Putin and Blair is meant to promote, can help streamline the beginning of the peace process and soothe the negative effect the Iraqi War Syndrome has on the whole set of relations in the region.

On the whole, according to observers, the Russian-British summit meeting is meant to become an important stage in preparations for the G-8 meeting in Evian, the agenda of which will contain items dealing with international security and cooperation and measures to support strategic stability and peace worldwide.