Russian, Canadian leaders talk of closer partnership

MOSCOW -- Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said Thursday that Russia and Canada were competitors in many areas, including hockey and ice skating, but the two should use their similarities to build a stronger partnership.

Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, Chretien referred obliquely to the controversy over the Russian figure skating pair's narrow victory over a Canadian duo that was favored by the crowd at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. "We are competing all the time. Yesterday night, we competed in hockey, the night before we competed in skating, and we are making the news with the strong competition that exists between our two nations," Chretien said. "But in the field of development of resources, international trade, we can be partners and that is why we are here with so many business people."

Chretien arrived Wednesday at the head of a 300-strong delegation for a four-day visit focusing on drumming up trade and investment opportunities with Russia.