Crowds cheer G8 leaders

The Blairs and Clintons greet each other outside Birmingham's town hall

Leaders from the world's most advanced industrial nations have been given a warm welcome by the people of Birmingham as they arrived for the G8 summit.

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair joined leaders from Germany, the United States, France, Japan, Italy, Canada, and Russia at an informal reception at the city's Council House.

They were clapped and cheered by a crowd of well-wishers as they arrived. Inside the building the world's eight most powerful men mingled with civic dignitaries and a handful of ordinary city folk.

Make mine a pint: the US president relaxes

The leaders are in the Midlands to discuss a raft of global issues including India's nuclear tests, organised crime, Indonesia and third world debt.

The Birmingham meeting is the first full G8 summit following the inclusion of the Russian president to the talks.

The G8 body does not have any formal power but the summit will aim to provide a common sense way of moving forward and coordinating the policies of the participating countries.

Earlier in the day Mr Blair and his wife, Cherie, were out and about meeting people in England's second city before the official proceedings got underway.

Tony Blair arriving in Birmingham

Meanwhile, Mr Clinton lapped up the warm weather, enjoying a pint of beer and a plate of chips on the terrace of a canal-side pub.

Following the evening reception, leaders moved on to a dinner at Birmingham's Museum and Art Gallery, home to one of Britain's finest collections of 19th century paintings.

The leaders will be given a taste of the stately homes of England, as the summit is transferred away from the bustling city centre to Weston Park in Shropshire.

The prime minister's wife will be whisking her fellow first ladies away from their husbands once the formal opening reception of the summit is over for a women-only outing.

Mr Blair embraces Russian leader Boris Yeltsin

The summit concludes on Sunday in Birmingham's International Convention Centre.

Mr Blair had hoped that the summit would recapture the informal, focused mood of early gatherings by holding preparatory meetings of foreign and finance ministers the week before the summit.

But events since the ministerial gatherings in London last weekend mean that rather than the cosy "fireside chat" advertised by the British prime minister, the leaders of the world's major industrial powers find themselves tackling unrest in Indonesia and the nuclear threat from India.

Helmut Kohl waves to the crowds

The G8 leaders are under pressure to take a united stand on India, which said that it would use nuclear weapons if attacked after surprising the world with a series of five nuclear tests.

Officials from America, which has already imposed tough economic sanctions on India, say they are not expecting the summit to announce sanctions, but do want the G8 members to jointly issue a strong statement of condemnation.

Discussion of these pressing problems is likely to push into the background other issues such as reforming international financial institutions, the fight against crime and curbing unemployment, which had been key themes for the gathering.

Up to 1,000 police officers will be on the streets of Birmingham

Birmingham has spent months preparing the summit, which has included last minute preparations such as spray-painting withered grass green.

The city has become a focus for pressure groups during the summit. Supporters of the Jubilee 2000 initiative to reduce third world debt will be forming a human chain around the city.