It has been described as a diplomatic slap on the wrist.The European Union has decided to freeze talks with Moscow on closer ties until Russian troops withdraw from Georgia. The extraordinary summit in Brussels was the first to be called since the outbreak of the war in Iraq in 2003.

Russia’s Ambassador to the EU has warned that the bloc will lose out by suspending long-delayed talks on a framework for new relations as retaliation for the military campaign in Georgia.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran is shipping the last load of heavy crude oil that was stored in tankers in the Persian Gulf to the Suez Canal for delivery to buyers, an oil ministry official said.