June 27, 2003	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 26,1424

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LONDON, June 26: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday buried the hatchet over Iraq with British Prime Minister Tony Blair as the two leaders pledged to work together on tackling global threats.

Mr Putin, wrapping up the first Russian state visit to Britain since tsarist times, said Moscow was willing to support occupying US and British forces in their reconstruction of Iraq although he called for a legitimate government.

Mr Blair and Mr Putin met the press after a working lunch at Downing Street, preceded by the signing of a major energy deal involving British oil major BP. The agreement makes Britain the biggest foreign investor in Russia.

Putin returns to Moscow on Friday, after spending four days in London — plus a sidetrip to Scotland — as the personal guest of Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace.

“There are many problems of course, but if we work together, our actions will be more effective. You know that our opinions are not always the same (but) now on key issues that we are tackling today we have come very, very close,” Putin told a joint press conference.

Blair said that global divisions over Iraq were ready to be healed as he paid tribute to the leadership of his “friend Vladimir.”

“I am quite sure that it is possible now to see how the international community can come back together and can manage to take forward in a constructive way the huge questions that are before us,” he said.

“The threat is not a clash between the big world powers. The threat is from extremism and terrorism and unstable states. that’s why it’s important that we work together,” Blair added.—AFP