Posted on 05/17/2007 9:33:31 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Russian President Vladimir Putin took German Chancellor Angela Merkel on an unscheduled, moonlit boat ride on the Volga on Thursday as they worked late into the night to smooth their choppy relations. Putin and Merkel, in the Volga river city of Samara for a European Union-Russia summit, began their talks over dinner then broke off for a concert of classical music, said an official in the German delegation.
"After that, Putin said spontaneously that he wanted to continue the talks. They are now doing that on a boat trip on the Volga," the official said. The two were still talking on board the boat at around 11:00 p.m. (1800 GMT).
The concert, at the Volzhsky Utyos holiday resort on the banks of the Volga, was performed by the Samara symphony orchestra and soloists brought in from Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre.
It featured works by Russian composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninov and the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, as well as Russian and German folk tunes, said the official.
Merkel is representing the EU at the summit because her country holds the bloc's rotating presidency.
The official said discussions over dinner had centred on a stalled EU-Russia strategic partnership pact.
The launch of negotiations on the treaty have been held up by a Polish veto, one of a number of problems besetting relations between Russia and the EU.
"There was a good atmosphere," said the official. Talks will continue in a more formal setting on Friday.
Was he hitting on her LOL!
Who’d want to ride on any river with that ferret?
You know, President Bush fell in love with Putin’s playas game, Bush was talking like a schoolgirl about seeing inside his soul.
May the Germans have a leader with stronger fortitude and inner strength to resist Putin’s snaked tongue.
Watch what you drink!!!!
Did they take a tour of Stalingrad too.
Was German Chancellor Angela Merkel seen alive after that moonlight cruise?
That Puty-Put is a smoothy!
putin could be the new stalin, hitler, mao,
rolled into one.
“Putin Takes Merkel On Moonlit Volga Boat Ride”
Did she notice if her wine was glowing in the dark?
LLS
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