Heads of state filter in for Games

ATHENS, Greece -- On the eve of the opening ceremonies for the summer Olympics, British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived amid tight security Thursday -- the first of several world leaders expected to use the games as a backdrop to diplomacy.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected early Friday and hold talks with Greek Premier Costas Caramanlis, who also will meet with the Bosnian and Ukrainian premiers, the government said.

Blair came to the Olympics host city two days after the arrival of former President Bush -- known locally as "Papa Bush." He is leading the U.S. delegation and began an Aegean Sea tour on a private yacht owned by Greek billionaire financier Spyros Latsis.

The yacht Dumara, which will be home to Bush, his wife, Barbara, and granddaughters Barbara and Jenna, along with a team of Secret Service agents, docked Thursday at Athens' main port of Piraeus. It was escorted by a Greek warship and three coast guard vessels.

Other political leaders expected include French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italy's Silvio Berlusconi.

Even on the day before the games, Greek officials remained tightlipped about the Olympic A-list guests, as Greece's spyware was on full display with armed police and soldiers on the ground and helicopters and a white security blimp humming and hovering above the city.

President Costis Stephanopoulos is hosting a gala reception Friday in honor of the International Olympic Committee and several heads of state are expected to attend. No guest list was announced.