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As Andrew Card, the White House Chief of Staff, said later, the briefing was a token of gratitude to the Russian President for his contribution to the counter-terrorist cause.

The Presidents summarised the briefing in an opinion exchange on terrorism, and discussed a wider range of 21st century interests the two countries shared, Mr Card said.

CIA Director George Tenet made a report to the gathering.

National security briefings are usually intended for the US President alone, so Mr Putin’s presence had no precedent.