Britain's Cameron to watch judo with Putin

LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron said Thursday he would try to pin down some major trade deals with Russian President Vladimir Putin -- when the pair watch judo together at the London Olympics.

"I discussed EU bilateral trade with the Brazilian president (Dilma Rousseff) yesterday she's here for the Games," told business leaders in London.

"I will do the same with the Russian president next week when he's here," he added.

"We will be at the judo, so it may be a bit off-putting.

"But I know my major priority is to get those trade deals, to get that investment -- and not to concentrate on what's happening on the mat," he joked.

Putin, 59, is himself a judo black belt, and has often been filmed in Russia training with top-class athletes.

State television showed the former KGB officer last August receiving treatment for an injury he had sustained warming up for a session of his favourite sport.

The episode appeared to be an attempt by Putin, then Russia's prime minister, to impress Russians with his virility ahead of last December's parliamentary elections and presidential elections in March.

Putin was returned to power as president in May.

The judo at the London Olympics takes place at the Excel centre in east London, the largest competition venue at the Games.

Cameron travelled to Moscow for talks with then-president Dmitry Medvedev and Putin in November 2011 during which they oversaw trade deals worth more than $300 million.

But years of testy relations between Russia and Britain have flared up in recent months as London has strongly criticised Moscow's refusal to back UN action on the crisis in Syria.
(AFP)