LONDON (Reuters) - President Bush arrived in London Wednesday for a two-day visit on his way to the G8 meeting of heads of state of leading industrial nations in the Italian city of Genoa.During his first visit to Britain as president, Bush will discuss with British Prime Minister Tony Blair Washington's controversial missile defense program and Bush's rejection of the Kyoto global warming treaty.
After a seven-hour flight Bush, accompanied by his wife Laura and daughter Barbara, landed at the Brize Norton air force base west of London Wednesday night. They were greeted by a marching band as they descended from Air Force One. (Read photo caption below).
On Thursday, the first full day of a four-city European visit, Bush will spend the morning in London before heading to Blair's country residence, Chequers, for talks and a joint news conference.
In the morning Bush and his wife Laura will take part in an event at the British Museum's Reading Room. He will then head to Buckingham Palace for an official arrival ceremony and a review of the troops before lunching with Queen Elizabeth.
Bush will hold talks with Blair at Chequers. The two leaders were expected to discuss a variety of issues, including thorny topics also expected to be raised at the G8 summit in Genoa.
THORNY TOPICS INCLUDE MISSILE DEFENSE
One of the most controversial subjects will be Bush's missile defense program. Just hours before Bush arrived in London, a Blair spokesman said Britain sympathized with U.S. concerns over weapons of mass destruction which prompted the missile defense plan.
He said Britain and the United States had ``a shared analysis of the problem'' of security threats, but said no decision had been taken on whether or not to support Bush's planned missile defense system.
More than 250 of Britain's 659 members of parliament -- overwhelmingly from Blair's Labour party -- have signed a motion expressing ``grave doubts'' about Bush's missile plans, fearing it could herald a new arms race.
And dozens of protesters outside the U.S. Embassy also expressed anger at the missile defense plan, chanting for hours outside the embassy -- even though Bush was not there.
Another thorny issue likely to be discussed with Blair is Bush's decision to reject the 1997 Kyoto agreement that aims to combat global warming by limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
Bush says the pact is ``fatally flawed'' and his administration would work to find an alternative.
Blair said Britain remained committed to Kyoto.
British officials said the two leaders would discuss the threat of escalating violence between Israel and the Palestinians and cooperation in Kosovo, Bosnia and Macedonia.
Bush told foreign reporters in Washington Tuesday he supported efforts by Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern to enact a 1998 peace accord in Northern Ireland.
PHOTO CAPTION:
U.S. President George W. Bush, trailed by Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire Hugo Brunner, walks from Air Force One upon arrival at RAF Brize Norton July 18, 2001. Bush is on a six-day journey that is built around the weekend Group of Eight summit in Genoa, Italy, and will include talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, an audience with Pope John Paul in Rome and a visit to Kosovo. REUTERS/Win McNamee