LONDON, Nov 7: British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday praised President Pervez Musharraf’s “very brave and principled stand” behind the coalition against terrorism, a day before they meet for talks in London.

“It has not been easy for him and I pay tribute to his leadership for doing so,” Mr Blair told parliament.

The British prime minister meets President Musharraf in Downing Street late on Thursday on a stopover on the latter’s journey for New York and for talks this weekend with US President George W. Bush.

Mr Blair had met the Pakistan leader a month ago in Islamabad during one of his diplomatic missions to bolster international support for the coalition against terrorism.—AFP