MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

President Lagos meets the Queen and Tony Blair

Chilean president Ricardo Lagos left Monday for Britain and Spain on official visits including a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace.

In London Mr. Lagos is also scheduled to have talks with Prime Minister Tony Blair and make an official presentation of his book, "XXI century: a vision from the South". The introduction of the book which includes a first chapter on "Chile and integration to a globalized world" was written by Tony Blair.

According to Chilean ambassador in London Mariano Fernandez the book is basically a collection of President Lagos speeches, conferences and interviews in his six years as head of the Chilean Executive which he abandons next March.

Apparently Socialist President Lagos and Labour Tony Blair are good friends and in the last six years have had to address several complicated issues such as the Pinochet detention incident and the UN Security Council debate on the Iraq war which did not damage the long established close political, economic and military relations between Britain and Chile.

From London President Lagos travels to Madrid where on Wednesday he will be a guest of honour to the great military parade of Spain's National Day, October 12, and of the official reception given by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía.

On Thursday he will be present at the inauguration of the "Republica de Chile" plaza in Madrid and later in the day travel to Salamanca, guest of the Community of Castilla y Leon and from the several century old Salamanca University.

October 14/15 President Lagos will join the XV Iberoamerican Summit which will be taking place in Salamanca with the participation of all Latinamerican leaders and heads of state as well as from Spain and Portugal.