Blair and Putin in new talks

Prime Minister Tony Blair will today embark on a new effort to reinforce the alliance against terrorism with two days of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The talks will aim to show a united front in the campaign against Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda and the effort to bring a new government to Afghanistan.

Behind the scenes, however, Mr Blair and Mr Putin are expected to discuss their concern at US moves to widen the military campaign, particularly against Iraq.

Russia is also unhappy at the move by President Bush earlier this week to withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty to allow America to proceed with its plans for the "son of Star Wars" national missile defence system.

Downing Street has yet to voice a view on the Treaty decision, saying merely that it was a matter between the US and Russia.

Mr Putin, who arrives at lunchtime with his wife Ludmilla, will stay overnight at the Prime Minister's official country home of Chequers.

Mr Blair has been at pains to foster good relations with Mr Putin, an effort which has seen them meet eight times in less than two years.

But the Prime Minister has faced demands to raise concerns over Russian human rights abuses, particularly in Chechnya.

The human rights organisation Amnesty International called on Mr Blair not to allow the suffering of Chechen civilians to be forgotten, saying: "With the spotlight very much on Afghanistan, we cannot let the torture, including rape and killing of Chechen civilians by the Russian military, go unnoticed."

The call was backed by the Labour peer Lord Judd, who agreed that Britain should not turn a blind eye to the situation in Chechnya as a price for Russian support of the campaign against terrorism.

The signals in advance, however, strongly suggested that the Prime Minister would raise the issue only privately and in low-key terms, if at all.

In an interview with the Russian news agency Interfax, the Prime Minister called for a political solution but said: "We recognise Russia's territorial integrity and its right and obligation to defend its citizens from terrorism."

The talks are expected to bring an announcement of a new joint Anglo-Russian group to share intelligence.

The two leaders are also scheduled to discuss closer Russian links with Nato and there will be separate talks between Russia's defence secretary, Sergei Ivanov, and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.