Putin emphasises solidarity with Europe during trip to Scotland

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin emphasised his country’s solidarity with Europe during a speech in Edinburgh yesterday.

Mr Putin was touring Scotland’s capital as part of the first Russian state visit to Britain since 1874. In a speech to an invited audience made up of guests from the scientific, academic, business, medical, administration and art sectors of Scotland at Edinburgh’s Signet Library, he spoke of wide-ranging problems facing the world.

Listing issues such as threats of ethnic conflict, organised crime, international terrorism, mass epidemics and weapons of mass destruction, he said the best way to respond was through solidarity.

He told the audience, which included Scotland’s First Minister Jack McConnell: “We should adequately respond to this challenge and the most adequate mechanism to react is solidarity.

“That can only be done by co-operation and trust.

“Our views on many issues are close and coincide.”

Mr Putin, who was making his second trip to Scotland after visiting the country about eight years ago, was keen to emphasise similarities between Scots and his own people.

He said: “I have warm memories of the direct, straightforward and open culture of Scots.

“There is a great similarity here with my people, the Russians.” He said that such similarities could be the reason why he had found such “understanding” with Edinburgh-born Tony Blair and another Scot, Nato Secretary General Lord Robertson.

He spoke too of his country’s improving economic situation.