Kremlin: British PM Brown calls Medvedev, meeting planned for July

MOSCOW (AP) - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown telephoned Russia's new President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday, the Kremlin said, suggesting they discussed ways to smooth out their countries' strained relations.

Brown congratulated Medvedev on his inauguration last week, and the two made plans to hold one-on-one talks during a Group of Eight summit in Japan in early July, the Kremlin said in a brief statement.

It said Brown and Medvedev discussed stepping up economic ties and taking actions aimed at developing relations in other areas - seemingly bureaucratic shorthand for improving ties that have reached a post-Cold War low.

Brown's Downing Street office confirmed that the leaders spoke on Sunday by telephone and plan to have face-to-face discussions at the G-8 industrialized nations summit.

"They both expressed a desire to get together in July at the G-8 and talk," said a spokesman for Brown, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with policy. "It was a good-length call."

Relations have been frayed badly by a host of problems, including Russian accusations of British espionage and meddling in Moscow's internal affairs. The countries are deeply at odds over the radiation poisoning death of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006. Russia refuses to extradite the sole suspect, a Russian, to Britain.

The world will be watching Medvedev closely for signs he might pursue a friendlier, less confrontational foreign policy than his predecessor, Vladimir Putin.

Medvedev, however, has indicated he will pursue the same goals as Putin and has said little about foreign policy since his inauguration Wednesday.

Putin has been named prime minister and many expect the former president will continue calling the shots in Russia's government.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi also called Medvedev on Sunday, the Kremlin said.