Visit to Russia

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder arrived in Moscow on Saturday to celebrate the Russian Orthodox Christmas with President Vladimir Putin, but a row over debt cast a shadow over the two-day private visit. Schroeder and his wife Doris were greeted at Moscow's Vnukovo-2 airport by Putin's German-speaking wife Lyudmila, who turned 43 on Saturday. After lunch with their hosts in the historic seat of Russian power, the Schroeders were to accompany the Putins on a walk-about on Red Square before attending a performance of the ballet "Gisele" at the Bolshoi Theatre, officials said. The two leaders are due to hold private talks late on Saturday about U.S. missile defence plans and Russia's $48 billion debt to the Paris Club of creditor nations. Germany, Russia's biggest creditor, reacted angrily to the announcement by Moscow on Thursday that it would skip payment of some $1.5 billion due to the Paris Club in the first quarter of this year. After lunch on Saturday the Schroeders were expected to stop by Moscow's newly restored Christ the Saviour Cathedral where Patriarch Alexiy II, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, will be celebrating the Christmas service.