Russian president Vladimir Putin and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Asad have signed a joint declaration on the further development of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The declaration signed on Tuesday during Asad’s visit to Moscow said that “the world order

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of blocking Russia’s entry into the World Trade Organization. At a meeting with Russian businessmen on Wednesday he said progress in the Russian-US talks on WTO entry was being artificially delayed, Mayak radio station reported.

Gazprom offered Belarus’ national Beltransgaz to buy Russian gas at European prices starting in 2007, Gazprom’s press service reported quoting a statement made by Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller at his meeting with Belarusian Energy Minister Alexander Ageyev and Beltransgaz General Director Dmitry Kazakov.