Hopefully, this meeting will be followed by new expert exchanges in the beginning of next year, the British Foreign Office said.
In turn, a spokesman for the London police told RIA Novosti that Khailov also had a meeting with Tim White, second in command of the Scotland Yard antiterrorist unit.
The meeting was a success and lasted much longer than planned. Both sides showed reciprocal interest in discussing the struggle against terrorism, the Scotland Yard spokesman said.
The visitors showed video materials and documents on the Beslan tragedy (September 1 through 3, 2005; over 350 people, mostly children, killed), the terrorist seizure of the Theater Center on Dubrovka street in Moscow (October 23 through 26, 2002; killing 129 people in setting free hostages). It has been agreed to continue contacts next year and, possible, pass fresh information helpful in cooperation, the interviewee said.
During the visit, Aslakhanov and Khailov together with British experts and analysts participated in the seminar on the tenth anniversary of the start of the Chechen war. The seminar was held at London's International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Aslakhanov spoke about the origins and causes of the Chechen conflict, what is being done to restore normalcy in Chechnya, arranging and holding elections there.
Aslakhanov reiterated the impossibility of having talks with terrorists.
I have for several years been studying the situation in Chechnya and hardly can any news surprise me. This meeting has been useful and helped to see the "human face" of those who play an important role in regional politics, said Jason Wan, an expert of Slav and East European research school at London University.
