Russia's proposal to combine its gas export monopoly Gazprom with the Ukrainian state energy company was part of a strategy to lock in assets while Europe focused on Greece, Alexander Rahr, a Russia expert at the German council on foreign relations, said on Tuesday.

• Date: 06.05.2010  |  Published on EGF: 06.05.2010  |  Energy  |  from busrep.co.za

The world's five recognized nuclear-weapons powers on Wednesday reaffirmed the goal of a Middle East free of nuclear weapons, a long-dormant Arab idea that's come back to life at this month's nonproliferation treaty conference.

• Date: 06.05.2010  |  Published on EGF: 06.05.2010  |  Security  |  from kristv.com

Consumer prices in Latvia will be on average 3.7% lower in 2010 than previous year, the largest drop among 183 countries worldwide, according to the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) new "World Economic Outlook" report. Deflation in Lithuania will make 1.2%, and inflation in Estonia will be 0.8%

• Date: 06.05.2010  |  Published on EGF: 06.05.2010  |  Markets  |  from baltic-course.com

A Russian MP asks President Medvedev to look into claims by a regional president that he met aliens on board a spaceship.

• Date: 06.05.2010  |  Published on EGF: 06.05.2010  |  External Relations  |  from bbc.co.uk

Turkeys Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu spoke late Tuesday with his Brazilian counterpart on the phone regarding the Iranian nuclear issue.

• Date: 06.05.2010  |  Published on EGF: 06.05.2010  |  External Relations  |  from hurriyetdailynews.com

Last fall, I boarded a ramshackle bus winding through the villages and vineyards on the Georgian side of the demarcation line with the breakaway region of South Ossetia. I was there to see what I could learn about the dangers of nuclear smuggling.

• Date: 06.05.2010  |  Published on EGF: 06.05.2010  |  External Relations  |  from foreignpolicy.com

Chinese President Hu Jintao will discuss the Iranian nuclear standoff with Russian leaders during a weekend visit to Moscow, a Chinese official said Wednesday, noting the two sides had "similar views".

• Date: 06.05.2010  |  Published on EGF: 06.05.2010  |  External Relations  |  from Yahoo! news

Delegations at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference raised concerns about Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs during the second day of the general debate, saying they provide serious challenges to the treaty's aim of stopping the spread of nuclear weapons

• Date: 05.05.2010  |  Published on EGF: 05.05.2010  |  External Relations  |  from voanews.com