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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Bush and Putin in informal talks | Bush and Putin in informal talks |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| US President George W Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin are having more talks at the Bush family holiday home in Kennebunkport, Maine. | |
| Ties have been strained, particularly over US plans to put parts of a missile defence system in eastern Europe, and the talks are aimed at easing tensions. | Ties have been strained, particularly over US plans to put parts of a missile defence system in eastern Europe, and the talks are aimed at easing tensions. |
| The two leaders took a speedboat ride together before a Maine-style dinner. | The two leaders took a speedboat ride together before a Maine-style dinner. |
| In Maine, Mr Bush praised new British PM Gordon Brown for his "very strong" response to recent terror attacks. | In Maine, Mr Bush praised new British PM Gordon Brown for his "very strong" response to recent terror attacks. |
| "It just goes to show the war against these extremists goes on," he said. | "It just goes to show the war against these extremists goes on," he said. |
| The US has increased its airport security and added more air marshals to international flights, but not raised its alert level. | The US has increased its airport security and added more air marshals to international flights, but not raised its alert level. |
| 'Friendly spirit' | 'Friendly spirit' |
| Mr Bush and Mr Putin are spending two days together at the seaside retreat. | |
| As Mr Putin arrived, more than 1,000 demonstrators protested nearby, criticising his policy on Chechnya and calling for Mr Bush to be impeached over the war in Iraq. | As Mr Putin arrived, more than 1,000 demonstrators protested nearby, criticising his policy on Chechnya and calling for Mr Bush to be impeached over the war in Iraq. |
| Officials have stressed that the meeting between the two leaders is informal. | |
| The two leaders took a 45-minute speedboat ride | |
| Before he left Russia, Mr Putin said he was looking forward to "friendly" talks with Mr Bush. | Before he left Russia, Mr Putin said he was looking forward to "friendly" talks with Mr Bush. |
| "I hope that the dialogue with this person with whom I've formed good, I would say friendly relations, will take place in exactly that spirit," Russian news agency Interfax quoted him as saying. | "I hope that the dialogue with this person with whom I've formed good, I would say friendly relations, will take place in exactly that spirit," Russian news agency Interfax quoted him as saying. |
| The BBC's James Coomarasamy, in Kennebunkport, says officials from both countries are lowering expectations for any major policy breakthroughs. | The BBC's James Coomarasamy, in Kennebunkport, says officials from both countries are lowering expectations for any major policy breakthroughs. |
| For the US side, the talks are about restoring a sense of trust to a relationship which of late has become increasingly fractious, our correspondent says. | For the US side, the talks are about restoring a sense of trust to a relationship which of late has become increasingly fractious, our correspondent says. |
| 'Megaphones' | 'Megaphones' |
| Earlier this week, Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer urged Russia and the West to tone down their rhetoric, saying there was "no reason to speak with megaphones". | Earlier this week, Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer urged Russia and the West to tone down their rhetoric, saying there was "no reason to speak with megaphones". |
| Russia has expressed anger at the proposed US missile defence shield - particularly plans to site a radar in the Czech Republic and 10 anti-missile interceptors in Poland. | Russia has expressed anger at the proposed US missile defence shield - particularly plans to site a radar in the Czech Republic and 10 anti-missile interceptors in Poland. |
| Nato and the US say the facilities would not be directed as Russia, but at "rogue" states such as North Korea and Iran. | Nato and the US say the facilities would not be directed as Russia, but at "rogue" states such as North Korea and Iran. |
| Demonstrators held a protest near the site of the talks | |
| But Mr Putin recently warned that Russia would target its missiles back at Europe if Washington went ahead with the programme. | But Mr Putin recently warned that Russia would target its missiles back at Europe if Washington went ahead with the programme. |
| The UN-administered province of Kosovo is another issue on which the two sides disagree. | The UN-administered province of Kosovo is another issue on which the two sides disagree. |
| Western countries support a plan that would give the territory independence from Serbia, but Russia - which wields a veto in the UN Security Council - says further negotiations are needed. | Western countries support a plan that would give the territory independence from Serbia, but Russia - which wields a veto in the UN Security Council - says further negotiations are needed. |
| President Bush is also expected to raise the issue of Iran, hoping to gain Russian support for wider economic sanctions aimed at pressuring Iran over its nuclear programme. | President Bush is also expected to raise the issue of Iran, hoping to gain Russian support for wider economic sanctions aimed at pressuring Iran over its nuclear programme. |