Blair, Bush and Putin bury Cold War

George Bush and Tony Blair today welcomed Russia into the western military fold at a historic Nato summit in Rome, billed as the official end of the Cold War.

The Prime Minister declared that a new East-West alliance would tackle international terrorism and the threat from rogue states which have weapons of mass destruction.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the summit as a breakthrough which would create " a shared security base from Vancouver to Vladivostok".

He compared the danger from international terror groups to the threat posed by the Nazis in the Thirties.

President Bush, on the final stop of a European tour to shore up the alliance against terrorism, said: "The attacks of 11 September made clear that the new dangers of our age threaten all nations, including Russia."

The leaders were speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Nato-Russia Council, bringing together Russia and the 19 Nato countries, including three former Warsaw Pact members.

Under the new arrangements Russia will have a strong say in Nato decision making but will not be a full member.

Mr Blair told the summit: "The British people today do not fear the Russian people. But both the Russian people and the British people fear the malice, the menace, of international terrorism."