Eurasia

Putin introduced the 42-year-old Medvedev to leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as “one of the candidates” in the March 2 election, but left no doubt he was more than that.

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday promised to end the almost daily violent attacks in Moscow on migrant workers from the former Soviet states.

Embattled Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said in a column published on Friday that he was ready to work with the newly elected parliament to fight terrorism and build a stable democratic government to promote long-term economic growth.

BRUSSELS – The European Commission said on Friday it was awaiting responses from Poland and Romania to charges that they hosted CIA prisons where al Qaeda suspects were questioned and guards used methods akin to torture.

ISLAMABAD – A roadside bomb ripped through a vehicle carrying a wedding party in Pakistan’s northwestern valley of Swat on Friday, killing 13 people, officials said.

The leaders of Pakistan’s two main parties are trying to forge a coalition government following their resounding election victory over allies of President Pervez Musharraf.

TEHRAN (FNA) – A Russian official said a joint energy and transportation venture between Iran and Russia will yield a $20bn profit for both sides.

Iran’s Oil Minister Gholam-Hussein Nozari has announced that Tehran will soon close a deal with Russia’s Gazprom to form a joint company for implementing energy projects.

Iran’s ambassador to Tajikistan Ali-Asghar Sherdoost said here Friday that Iran has donated 4.5 million liters of fuel, worth about five million dollars, to Tajik citizens in line with its humanitarian efforts.

Iran and Kyrgyzstan here on Friday signed a banking cooperation agreement. Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Kyrgyz Finance Minister Tazhikan Kalimbetova signed the agreement, which calls for establishment of offices of Iranian banks — initially, that of Iranian private bank, the Eqtesad Novin Bank — in Bishkek.The agreement was …