Putin takes tour of German high-speed rail

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder took Russian President Vladimir Putin on a high-speed train trip Tuesday in a display of technology that German companies would like to sell to Russia.

The 70-mile trip took the leaders from Hamburg to the northern town of Schleswig, the last stop in two days of formal German-Russian talks focused on boosting economic ties.

Schroeder and his wife, Doris Schroeder-Koepf, who adopted a 3-year-old Russian girl this summer, invited Putin to their private home in Hanover afterward. The Russian leader was scheduled to depart late Tuesday.

Like other recent meetings between German and Russian leaders, Putin's visit was designed to show that ties between him and Schroeder extend beyond formalities to friendship.

A sleek InterCity Express train traveling at up to 100 mph took the two leaders on a one-hour, 20-minute trip north to Schleswig for meetings at a 16th-century castle near the Danish border.

Hundreds of police officers were deployed along the train's route through the snowy North German plain, and helicopters flew along beside the train and overhead.

Putin began his visit Monday by saying was he open to talking about ways to solve the conflict in Chechnya.

His remarks seemed designed to dampen criticism in Germany and elsewhere of Russia's campaign against secession-minded extremists in Chechnya. However, details remained vague.

It was also the first time Putin and Schroeder met since tension flared between Moscow and the West over Ukraine's presidential election.

They agreed during Monday's talks to respect the result of the repeat of Ukraine's presidential runoff vote Sunday, said a German government official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Putin also hinted to Schroeder that he would offer to speed up repayment of Russian debt to Germany, promising a "big Christmas present," the German official said.

Russia owes Germany about $18.7 billion. Western creditor nations have been pressing Moscow to repay its Cold War-era debts to ease their budget deficits.

On Chechnya, Putin said he had received proposals involving Germany and the European Union. He did not elaborate, but said: "We would like to accept these proposals fully."

German officials said Putin meant a suggestion brought to Moscow last month by a German government envoy for opening a dialogue on how to reconcile the fight against terrorism with democratic norms.

Such talks would also involve the prospect of EU economic aid to the Caucasus region, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Russia views its battle in Chechnya as part of the global war on terrorism. Russia's main security agency has claimed that al-Qaida and other international terrorist groups are fighting alongside Chechen rebels.

Source: Agencies