China, involved in a growing dispute with its neighbors over the energy-rich South China Sea, wants to promote peaceful development of the oceans, Premier Li Keqiang said, warning conflicts in the past had only brought "disaster for humanity".

• Date: 21.06.2014  |  Published on EGF: 21.06.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

China said on Thursday it was preparing to help evacuate a small number of people working for Chinese companies in Iraq, and repeated an offer to help Iraq fight terrorism though it declined to say if it would provide military support.

• Date: 19.06.2014  |  Published on EGF: 19.06.2014  |  Security  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

After a late-night telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Wednesday set out proposals for a peace plan for eastern Ukraine involving a unilateral ceasefire by government forces.

• Date: 18.06.2014  |  Published on EGF: 18.06.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Russia cut off gas to Ukraine on Monday in a dispute over unpaid bills that could disrupt supplies to the rest of Europe and set back hopes for peace between the former Soviet neighbours.

• Date: 17.06.2014  |  Published on EGF: 16.06.2014  |  Security  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Ukraine's president promised a tough response on Saturday to pro-Russian separatists who shot down an army transport plane, killing 49 servicemen and dealing a blow to a military campaign to crush their uprising.

• Date: 15.06.2014  |  Published on EGF: 15.06.2014  |  Security  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

A Chinese official said on Friday that China will never send military forces to the scene of an increasingly ugly spat with Vietnam over an oil rig in the South China Sea and accused Hanoi of trying to force an international lawsuit.

• Date: 15.06.2014  |  Published on EGF: 15.06.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

The Ukrainian flag fluttered over the regional government headquarters in the strategic port city of Mariupol on Friday after government forces reclaimed the city from pro-Russian separatists in heavy fighting, and said they had regained control of a long stretch of the border with Russia.

• Date: 13.06.2014  |  Published on EGF: 13.06.2014  |  Security  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Pro-Russian separatists attacked Ukrainian military checkpoints and other strategic points in eastern Ukraine overnight but they were beaten off with only minor casualties on the Ukrainian side, a government forces spokesman said on Tuesday.

• Date: 10.06.2014  |  Published on EGF: 10.06.2014  |  Security  |  from http://www.reuters.com/