Blair sees no quick end to Russia tension

By Katherine Baldwin

HEILIGENDAMM, Germany (Reuters) - Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Friday that issues damaging relations between London and Moscow would not be resolved in the near future.

Blair, speaking to reporters after a 50-minute bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G8 summit, said they discussed energy cooperation, a planned U.S. missile defence shield and the case of murdered ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko.

"The atmosphere was on a personal level perfectly cordial but there are real issues and I don't think they are going to be resolved anytime soon," Blair said. "It was a very frank discussion."

Blair told reporters on the tarmac before boarding his plane for London that Putin had expressed concerns Russia was not being treated properly by the West and its allies.

Blair told him that "people were worried and fearful about Russia today". Blair's official spokesman added that the prime minister told Putin Russia's behaviour on a number of issues was hurting relations with Britain and other Western nations.

Relations between Britain and Russia have been particularly tense since the death from poisoning in London of Russian emigre and Kremlin critic Litvinenko.

His friends say he believed the Kremlin was behind his poisoning and British prosecutors want to try a Russian man for the murder. Moscow has refused to extradite the suspect, putting the two countries on a diplomatic collision course.

Britain also has particular concerns about Russia because leading British energy firm BP's Russian unit, TNK-BP, faces a threat to its licence to operate the vast Siberian Kovykta natural gas field.