Cooperation in the oil and gas sector constitutes a major part of China-Russia economic relations, but it is not everything. While strengthening their energy cooperation, Chinese and Russian economic managers are now exploring new fields to diversify their economic ties and optimize the trade structure.

• October 14, 2011

Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the project "Southern Gas Corridor" in terms of gas supplies for branch export routes, head of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) Rovnag Abdullayev said on Wednesday at a meeting with Austrian Federal Economy, Family and Youth Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner.

• October 13, 2011

The newly appointed Estonian ambassador to Uzbekistan with residence in Moscow Simmu Tiik has handed over his credentials addressed to the head of state to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry, the Foreign Ministry said.

• October 13, 2011

Vladimir Putin this week made probably his last trip to China as Russian prime minister (he will likely be president next year), signing no fewer than 16 new accords on bilateral cooperation, including US$7 billion in new investment agreements.

• October 13, 2011

China and Russia are committed to expanding cooperation in economic, trade and energy, said a joint communique inked by the two countries as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin made a two-day official visit to China.

• October 12, 2011

Russia and Belarus signed a contract Tuesday on the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Belarus, local media reported.

• October 12, 2011

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said on Wednesday that he expected a "just and acceptable" compromise to be worked out with Russia soon over the price of Russian gas.

• October 12, 2011

Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during September 2011
Key developments:

• Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s September is filled with tumultuous foreign policy issues, coalescing disputes with Israel, Cyprus and the world’s stance towards Somalia in his statement to the UN General Assembly.
• The prime minister visited Libya, Egypt and Tunisia in a quick tour of countries touched by the Arab Spring while continuing his condemnation of Syrian repression of civilians and rebuffing Iranian and Russian anger at Ankara’s participation in NATO’s missile shield.
• Kurdish-related violence seizes the country through terrorist attacks and military operations between PKK fighters and the Turkish military. BDP Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party parliamentary deputies end their boycott of the parliament in order to end the hostilities.
• The European Commission instigates raids on Gazprom subsidiaries on suspected competition violations, with many calling it a political move to garner support for Nabucco and undermine South Stream and Nord Stream.
• Energy major BP announces a planned pipeline from the Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan traversing Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

• October 12, 2011