Russian customs union may undermine Georgia embargo
Russia’s customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan may provide a loophole that will allow Georgian goods to enter Russia for the first time since an embargo was imposed in 2006, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said.
Russia, China urged Iran to change nuclear stance
Russia and China have quietly made clear to the Iranian government they want Tehran to change its approach to the nuclear issue and accept a U.N. atomic fuel offer, Western diplomats said.
Putin crashed Abkhazian dreams
Last week there was a visit of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Belarus where he took part in a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of the union state.
Collective Defense in Central Asia Contradicted by Rising National Spending
Despite the impact of the global economic crisis on all of the economies within the former Soviet Union, averaging a 7 percent decline in GDP in 2009, defense spending has increased in each state with the exception of Belarus (which remained unchanged in 2009 year-on-year at 1.5 percent of GDP).
Karzai in China to discuss trade
Afghan President Hamid Karzai begins a visit to China, with trade and investment high on the agenda.
China's heir-apparent pitches Russian alliance
The man widely seen as China's next leader told Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday the world's two most powerful emerging market economies should help each other increase their weight in global affairs.
Armenia Issue Stalls Gas Talks
Talks between Turkey and Azerbaijan over securing the Nabucco gas pipeline have stalled due to disagreements over Turkey's attempts to normalize relations with Armenia.
Turkmen leader reassures Moscow on natural gas supplies
RIA Novosti cited Mr Sergei Lavrov Russian Foreign Minister as saying that Turkmen President Mr Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov on recently confirmed the Central Asian republic's readiness to supply the required gas volumes to Russia.
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