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| Blair set for Sierra Leone visit | Blair set for Sierra Leone visit |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is due to arrive in Sierra Leone on the second leg of a week-long tour of Africa. | UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is due to arrive in Sierra Leone on the second leg of a week-long tour of Africa. |
| Mr Blair, who sent troops to the West African state in the early days of his premiership, is expected to meet the country's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. | Mr Blair, who sent troops to the West African state in the early days of his premiership, is expected to meet the country's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. |
| On his last major tour before he steps down as prime minister, Mr Blair has already held talks with Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. | On his last major tour before he steps down as prime minister, Mr Blair has already held talks with Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. |
| He said relations between the countries had been "transformed" in recent years. | He said relations between the countries had been "transformed" in recent years. |
| The BBC's Will Ross, in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown, said Mr Blair is hugely popular there because of his decision to send troops in 2000. | The BBC's Will Ross, in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown, said Mr Blair is hugely popular there because of his decision to send troops in 2000. |
| Our correspondent says the intervention of several hundred British soldiers proved decisive in preventing rebels from taking over the country. | Our correspondent says the intervention of several hundred British soldiers proved decisive in preventing rebels from taking over the country. |
| 'Continuing engagement' | 'Continuing engagement' |
| The outgoing British leader will hold talks with President Kabbah and the leader of neighbouring Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. | The outgoing British leader will hold talks with President Kabbah and the leader of neighbouring Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. |
| Sierra Leone is expected to hold presidential elections in August - the first poll since UN peacekeepers left in 2005. | Sierra Leone is expected to hold presidential elections in August - the first poll since UN peacekeepers left in 2005. |
| A spokesman for Mr Blair said the elections were possible only "because of continuing engagement from countries such as ourselves". | A spokesman for Mr Blair said the elections were possible only "because of continuing engagement from countries such as ourselves". |
| The prime minister had said he hoped his tour would help to focus attention on Africa and climate change in the run-up to the G8 summit. | The prime minister had said he hoped his tour would help to focus attention on Africa and climate change in the run-up to the G8 summit. |
| On Monday, the prime minister described his meeting with Muammar Gaddafi as "positive", saying relations between the two countries had been "completely transformed" in the past few years and could provide a precedent for Iran. |