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President Dmitry Medvedev said at his meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown that economic contacts between Russia and Britain are making steady headway despite a number of problems in bilateral relations.

Mr Medvedev and Mr Brown extensively discussed global economic issues including energy security, the food and financial crisis, and anti-inflation measures.

The British Prime Minister raised the issue of funding major joint ventures.

Mr Medvedev and Mr Brown also discussed all the political and cultural disputes affecting bilateral political contacts. They spoke openly about the British Council’s problems, and the operation of several major Russian-British oil companies, to name but a few.

The Russian President gave the necessary explanations and emphasised the need to take a long-term view of bilateral relations. He said they should be brought back to the previous, normal level.

Other participants in the talks on the Russian side included Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Alexei Gromov, Presidential Aide Sergei Prikhodko, and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak.