Russia has not got into the difficult situation brought by global financial crisis and may emerge from it a stronger economy, President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday.

Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan said on Thursday that Armenia worked for the normalization of its relations with Turkey and he was optimistic about it.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Thursday new clashes may break out in the Caucasus region if the European Union (EU) observers fail to function as security guarantors.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic signed here on Thursday, the Charter of Regional Cooperation in South-Eastern Europe, in the present of his Romanian and Moldovan counterparts.

Visiting EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Thursday expressed hope that some progress could be achieved in the peace track between Syria and Israel as it is basic in the overall Middle East peace process.

A  Croatian publisher and his colleague were killed in a car bomb Thursday evening in the center of the capital Zagreb, electronic media reported.

Poland supports EU enlargement with the Balkans, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Thursday after a meeting with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn.

Macedonia’s parliament has adopted a motion approving a constitutional amendment to the country’s presidential election rules, according to news reports reaching here Thursday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – A drunk passenger on a Russian internal flight caused a hijack scare Friday, Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted a law enforcement source as saying.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU candidate Turkey must significantly step up reforms if it is to progress its troubled bid to join the 27-nation bloc, the European Commission is to tell the country, EU officials said on Friday.