Russian President and British Prime Minister hold telephone "mini summit"

The Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, has spoken by telephone with the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to discuss Moscow's growing relations with the European Union and the Group of Eight summit of rich industrialised nations and Russiain Birmingham in May.

Britain currently holds the rotating Presidency of the fifteen nation European Union The Kremlin press spokesman said President Yeltsin hoped to meet the British Prime Minister in the first half of the year.

He added that Mr Yeltsin was maintaining an active schedule, including recent phone conversations with the French President and German Chancellor.

Correspondents believe the flurry of Kremlin media releases is designed to counter speculation about the Russian President's health.

Two planned international summits this month have been cancelled

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service