By Xinhua
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that he expects the "rich experience in state and foreign policy affairs" of outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair would be used in solving international problems, Kremlin said.
   During a phone conversation on Tuesday, Putin and Blair talked about bilateral relations in the last decade, saying the two countries have made progress in many areas, especially in trade and economic aspect, Interfax news agency quoted a Kremlin press release as saying.
   "Both sides expressed hope for the preservation and consolidation of the positive achievements in Russian-British relations," the Kremlin said.
   British press said earlier that a Mideast Quartet meeting on Tuesday was likely to announce Blair, who will step down on Wednesday and be replaced by Gordon Brown, as Middle East peace envoy of the Quartet consisting of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia.