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PACE has 2 views on ‘freezing’ Russian-Georgian issue

The monitoring commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Councilof Europe (PACE) failed to make a decision on ‘freezing’ talks on theRussian-Georgian issue, with the votes split into two groups, RIANovosti reports, citing the first deputy chairman of the internationalcommittee of the State Duma, Leonid Slutsky.The Russian-Georgian issue has been discussed at almost every sessionof PACE since October 2008, after the military conflict in SouthOssetia.

PACE consultations to continue

The Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe have agreed to continue consultations, RIA Novosti reports, citing the press-service of the Armenian National Assembly.Armenia proposed that one representative of the opposition from each country should take part. The Armenian delegation was represented by Armen Rustamyan and David Arutiun, the Azerbaijani delegation by Sabir Gadjiyev and Samed Seidov.

Summit on cooperation in South-East Europe held in Istanbul

The prosperity and future of the Balkans is being discussed at thesummit on South-East European cooperation in Istanbul, TRT reports.Besides Turkey, participants in the summit are Albania,Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Greece,Croatia, Moldova and Montenegro. This year Slovenia will join thesummit as the 12th member. Turkey will hand over the chairmanship toMontenegro.

Russian human rights activists welcome PACE report on human rights in the North Caucasus

Russian human rights activists are welcoming the report of Dick Marty from Switzerland, at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, on the situation regarding human rights in the North Caucasus, but they call on European parliamentarians "to be sceptical" and to carefully examine how the statements of the document will be implemented after its signing, RIA Novosti reports.Oleg Orlov, the head of the human rights center "Memorial", says that he evaluates the document highly.

Iran is not against cooperation with IAEA

Iran will continue cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran's permanent representative in the IAEA Ali Ashgar Soltani said. It was reported earlier that Iran would not allow two inspectors of the IAEA into the country, Reuters reports.According to Soltani, the prohibition was due to false information spread by the two members of the agency. Soltani said that all other IAEA agents are allowed to come to carry out reviews.

New plenary session at economic forum in St. Petersburg

New plenary session at economic forum in St. Petersburg

The world’s leading politicians and businessmen have been meeting atthe International Economic Forum-2010 in St. Petersburg. Theparticipants are discussing the key problems of Russia, developingmarkets and world society and ways to solve the problems, RIA Novostireports.

EU approves US sanctions against Iran

The heads of EU countries participated in a summit in Brussels andapproved the new sanctions against Iran, France Press reports.The UN Security Council passed a new resolution on June 9th,introducing new sanctions against Iran for its refusal to stop uraniumenrichment. This was the fourth resolution of the Security Council dueto Tehran’s refusal to follow international regulations on its nuclearprogram, RIA Novosti reports.

EU reminds South Caucasus countries about rapprochement conditions

The foreign ministers of the EU approved a special document onrelations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. According to ArmeniaToday, the document passed at the meeting of foreign ministers inLuxembourg, says that Brussels is ready to strengthen ties with theregion.The Council of EU noted that South Caucasus countries must realizereforms in the sphere of democracy, dominance of law, and respect forhuman rights for more cooperation with EU.

Georgia signs program of cooperation with UN

Georgia and the UN have signed a cooperation program for 2011-2015. The document was signed by Nika Gilauri, the Georgian premier, andJamie McGoldrick, the permanent coordinator of the UN organization, reports ITAR-TASS. 188.5 million dollars will be assigned to Georgia for the "Building of a better future for the Georgian people". The main issue for the UN is the social development of the country and the development of democracy.

World Bank to give $1 billion credit to Azerbaijan

The World Bank will lend one billion dollars to Azerbaijan over four years in the framework of a new cooperation strategy, Georgia Times reports.The WB will continue financing the construction of highways, bridges and similar projects in the republic. The strategy will be based on previous achievements and results.Azerbaijan has been a member of the World Bank since 1992, since when the bank has financed 45 projects with a total cost of $2 billion.

Sanctions against Iran prevent it from joining SCO - Lavrov

Iran cannot join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as longas international sanctions against it are in force, Russian ForeignMinistry Sergei Lavrov said, RIA Novosti reports. However, he alsosaid that there was nothing stopping Iran gaining observer status.

Armenian church leader I to visit Canada

Armenia's Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I will arrive in Canada on June17th. He will visit the Armenian Apostolical Cathedral of St. Akop inMontreal, panarmenian.net reports.Aram I will also meet Armenian students and the youth of Montreal. Hewill have meetings with local religious leaders, and Armenian socialorganizations. He will hold a Divine Liturgy on June 20th in theCatholic church of Leval.

UN resolution does not restrict sale of S-300 missiles to Iran - US State DepartmentDepartment

UN resolution does not restrict sale of S-300 missiles to Iran - US State DepartmentDepartment

The USA has confirmed that a Russian contract to sell S-300 missilesto Iran will not be restricted by new UN sanctions against the IslamicRepublic, a US State Department spokesman said, RIA Novosti reports.Philip Crowley noted that resolution 1929 is aimed at enhancing thenon-proliferation regime and is connected with global concern over theIranian nuclear program.

UN sanctions against Iran will not hit Russian economic interests - Lavrov

Russian interests will not be hurt when new United Nations sanctionsagainst Iran come into force, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovsaid, RIA Novosti reports.The resolution does not imply any restrictions on trade-economicrelations between Russia and Iran, including the nuclear project'Bushehr' or the construction of any other light water reactor. Lavrovconfirmed that the 'Bushehr' nuclear plant in south Iran will belaunched in August of this year.

Azerbaijani foreign minister meets European Parliament delegation

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov welcomed a delegationheaded by the deputy chairman of the committee for foreign affairs ofthe European Parliament, Fiorello Provero, Trend reports, citing theministry's press-service.Provero noted that Azerbaijan has a great potential for developingties with European countries. The sides also exchanged views onenergy, trade, the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement and other issues ofmutual interest.

SCO Secretary General informed of schedule of Tashkent summit

The schedule of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit willaddress traditional issues, including problems of common security inSCO space and on neighbouring organizations, in particular the problemof Afghanistan, which is topical for all SCO members, Trend reports,citing the Secretary General of the SCO, Muratbek Imanaliyev.The summit will hold talks on Kyrgyzstan. The members will alsodiscuss the rules for accepting new members to the SCO.

Sukhumi and Tskhinvali accuse participants of Geneva negotiations of ‘misunderstanding’

All Abkhaz and South Ossetian attempts to be understood in theirposition on the most topical issues concerning the vital interests oftheir peoples faced obstacles from Georgia and the US participants inthe Geneva discussions, as well as from the moderators (the UN, theOSCE and the EU), a joint declaration by Sukhumi and Tskhinvali says,News Georgia reports.