The latest: Russia, China Produce Own Draft Resolution on North Korea to UN

11.07.2006
Russia, China Produce Own Draft Resolution on North Korea to UN
China, backed by Russia, has submitted its own draft statement to the UN Security Council on North Korea, fearing that a resolution imposing sanctions might be used to lay the groundwork for future military action.

11.07.2006
Bush Defends Putin Against Criticism on Backsliding From Democracy
President Bush is toning down his administration’s criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s steps to restrict political and economic freedoms as Russia prepares to host an annual G8 summit of economic powers.

11.07.2006
Chechen Warlord Basayev Confirmed Dead — Russian Defense Minister
There is absolutely no doubt that Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev is dead, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Tuesday.

11.07.2006
Putin Critic Kasyanov Beaten by Young Protester at Opposition Conference
Mikhail Kasyanov, former Russian Prime Minister turned staunch critic of President Putin’s policies has been punched in the face by a young protester who managed to get into the Other Russia opposition conference.

11.07.2006
Ukraine’s Tymoshenko Set to Challenge New Coalition in Court
Ukraine’s parliament, all but shut down during three months of fruitless coalition talks, plunged into chaos Tuesday with backers of the “Orange Revolution” storming the rostrum and sounding sirens to halt debate. Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko has called for new elections and said her bloc and Yushchenko’s Our Ukraine would challenge the new coalition in court.

11.07.2006
NGOs Urge G8 Leaders to Press Putin on Human Rights Violations, Corruption
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights is calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s partners in the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations to raise the issue of rights violations in Russia when they meet this week in St. Petersburg.

11.07.2006
Russian Opposition Harassed by Authorities Ahead of G8 Summit
Russian opposition activists say police and security forces have been intimidating them in efforts to keep them off the streets of St. Petersburg where the G8 summit will take place this weekend.

11.07.2006
Ex-Soviet Republic Kyrgyzstan Expels U.S. Diplomats
Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry has decided to expel two U.S. diplomats from the ex-Soviet Republic for “inappropriate” contacts with nongovernmental organizations, an official said.

11.07.2006
Russia Will Not Store Spent Foreign Nuclear Fuel — Senior Official
Russia does not have any plans to reprocess and store spent nuclear fuel from foreign countries, including the United States, an adviser to the federal nuclear agency official said Tuesday.

11.07.2006
Chechen Warlord Basayev Deserved to Die — President Bush
U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday said if Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev was killed, “he deserved it.” Russian officials said Basayev, who claimed responsibility for the bloody Beslan school siege in 2004, was killed in a security raid earlier on Monday.

11.07.2006
Russian Opposition Holds Forum Ahead of Summit
The Other Russia conference opens in Moscow Tuesday, ahead of the Group of Eight summit. The event, organized by the vocal critic of the Kremlin, Garry Kasparov, will be attended by prominent opposition figures and several top ranking officials from Britain and the U.S.

11.07.2006
127 Confirmed Dead in Siberia Plane Crash, Tragedy Blamed on Faulty Brakes
Aviation officials struggled Monday to explain Russia’s second deadly commercial airline crash in nearly as many months, as relatives of the more than 120 people killed desperately sought information on the fate of their loved ones. As of Monday evening, 127 of the 203 passengers and crew on board were confirmed dead.

11.07.2006
UN Backs Romania in Ship Canal Dispute With Ukraine
A United Nations commission of inquiry has backed Romania in a dispute with Ukraine over a ship canal in the delta of the River Danube, which separates the two countries. Earlier, Romania protested against construction work in the area, voicing concern over possible environmental hazards.

11.07.2006
Chechen Rebels Say Basayev Died “Accidentally”
Chechen rebels on Monday confirmed the death of top Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev, but said he died “accidentally” in an explosion — not in a special operation led by Russian forces.