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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Blair begins Sierra Leone visit | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has arrived in Sierra Leone on the second leg of a week-long tour of Africa. | |
| Mr Blair, who sent peacekeeping troops there in his first term of office, is expected to meet the country's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. | Mr Blair, who sent peacekeeping troops there in his first term of office, is expected to meet the country's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. |
| He is also due to be made a paramount chief in the West African state - a mark of respect in the country. | He is also due to be made a paramount chief in the West African state - a mark of respect in the country. |
| On his last major tour before he steps down, Mr Blair has already held talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. | On his last major tour before he steps down, Mr Blair has already held talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. |
| Mr Blair is a popular figure in Sierra Leone because of his decision to send in several hundreds troops in 2000 - an intervention which proved decisive in preventing rebels from taking over the country. | Mr Blair is a popular figure in Sierra Leone because of his decision to send in several hundreds troops in 2000 - an intervention which proved decisive in preventing rebels from taking over the country. |
| During his visit he will see a display by the new army and police force. British troops have led efforts to rebuild the national army since 2000. | During his visit he will see a display by the new army and police force. British troops have led efforts to rebuild the national army since 2000. |
| 'Continuing engagement' | 'Continuing engagement' |
| Talks with President Kabbah and the leader of neighbouring Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, will be held. | Talks with President Kabbah and the leader of neighbouring Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, will be held. |
| 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". |
| Sierra Leone is now stable but it remains desperately poor and high levels of corruption are a major problem. | Sierra Leone is now stable but it remains desperately poor and high levels of corruption are a major problem. |
| Many people would like to see donor countries like Britain put more pressure on the government of Sierra Leone to ensure aid reaches the people who need it. | Many people would like to see donor countries like Britain put more pressure on the government of Sierra Leone to ensure aid reaches the people who need it. |
| 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 years since Libya gave up its nuclear arms ambitions. | 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 years since Libya gave up its nuclear arms ambitions. |
| He said the transformation could provide a precedent for Iran. | He said the transformation could provide a precedent for Iran. |