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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Blair 'will be frank with Putin' | Blair 'will be frank with Putin' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Tony Blair has promised a "frank discussion" with Vladimir Putin over the Russian leader's threat to point nuclear weapons at Europe. | Tony Blair has promised a "frank discussion" with Vladimir Putin over the Russian leader's threat to point nuclear weapons at Europe. |
| Mr Putin spoke out after the US said it wanted to build a new missile defence system, partly based in eastern Europe. | Mr Putin spoke out after the US said it wanted to build a new missile defence system, partly based in eastern Europe. |
| But Mr Blair told the BBC it was not in Russia's interest to have a "scratchy" relationship with western countries. | But Mr Blair told the BBC it was not in Russia's interest to have a "scratchy" relationship with western countries. |
| He also promised to discuss the alleged murder in London of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko. | He also promised to discuss the alleged murder in London of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko. |
| Mr Blair and Mr Putin are both attending the G8 summit, which begins in Germany on Thursday. | Mr Blair and Mr Putin are both attending the G8 summit, which begins in Germany on Thursday. |
| I don't really think that in the end it will be in the long term interest of Russia to have a relationship with Europe or with the western world that is scratchy and difficult Tony Blair | I don't really think that in the end it will be in the long term interest of Russia to have a relationship with Europe or with the western world that is scratchy and difficult Tony Blair |
| Mr Blair told BBC political editor Nick Robinson there was no danger of a "fresh cold war" developing but said that many people were "concerned about the direction Russia is heading". | |
| "It would be very sensible for the Russians to give reassurance on that," said Mr Blair. | "It would be very sensible for the Russians to give reassurance on that," said Mr Blair. |
| The US missile programme was designed to deal with the threat from "rogue states", rather than Russia, he added. | The US missile programme was designed to deal with the threat from "rogue states", rather than Russia, he added. |
| Mr Blair also said the US had promised to "share the technology" and "suddenly it is put up by Russia in this way, in quite a confrontational way". | Mr Blair also said the US had promised to "share the technology" and "suddenly it is put up by Russia in this way, in quite a confrontational way". |
| He said: "I think behind the scenes at the G8 there will be the opportunity for people to have a frank conversation about Russia, with Russia, because people want a good relationship with Russia but it is a relationship that can only prosper if it is clear that we share certain values and principles." | He said: "I think behind the scenes at the G8 there will be the opportunity for people to have a frank conversation about Russia, with Russia, because people want a good relationship with Russia but it is a relationship that can only prosper if it is clear that we share certain values and principles." |
| Europe and Russia | Europe and Russia |
| As well as talking about the US missile programme, that frank conversation would include raising Britain's request to extradite former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi over the murder of Mr Litvinenko. | As well as talking about the US missile programme, that frank conversation would include raising Britain's request to extradite former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi over the murder of Mr Litvinenko. |
| "We have got to try and resolve it, we know what issues the Russians have there but we can't have someone murdered on British soil in that way and nothing happen, so it is a discussion we will have to have," said Mr Blair. | "We have got to try and resolve it, we know what issues the Russians have there but we can't have someone murdered on British soil in that way and nothing happen, so it is a discussion we will have to have," said Mr Blair. |
| On the US missile programme, the prime minister said: "The Americans have said to the Russians that they will share the technology, they will be completely transparent about it. | |
| "The fact is this has always been about the danger of rogue states, the truth of the matter is that for all sorts of reasons it is not something that is really about Russia at all and yet suddenly it is put up by Russia in this way, in quite a confrontational way. | "The fact is this has always been about the danger of rogue states, the truth of the matter is that for all sorts of reasons it is not something that is really about Russia at all and yet suddenly it is put up by Russia in this way, in quite a confrontational way. |
| "Now I think the sensible thing and this is what I'll do certainly when I meet President Putin is just to have a frank conversation about the state of the relationship, between not simply Britain, but Europe and Russia." | "Now I think the sensible thing and this is what I'll do certainly when I meet President Putin is just to have a frank conversation about the state of the relationship, between not simply Britain, but Europe and Russia." |
| However, Mr Blair said, the end result would not be "some great confrontation" - instead people would see that there was a "difficulty" with Russia's relationship with the outside world. | However, Mr Blair said, the end result would not be "some great confrontation" - instead people would see that there was a "difficulty" with Russia's relationship with the outside world. |
| He added: "And therefore I don't really think that in the end it will be in the long term interest of Russia to have a relationship with Europe or with the western world that is scratchy and difficult." | He added: "And therefore I don't really think that in the end it will be in the long term interest of Russia to have a relationship with Europe or with the western world that is scratchy and difficult." |