- Russia will never get involved in any efforts that could undermine world energy markets
- Observing interior Palestinian agreements and returning a captive Israeli soldier are the most important pre-conditions for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement
- The United States are 'playing the anti-Russian card' to solve its domestic problems and secure more substantial defense spending
* Russia and Jordan are opposed to the resolution of international and regional conflicts by force and will strive for a just, long-term and comprehensive settlement in the Middle East, the leaders of the two countries said in a joint statement
* Russia and Jordan concluded an agreement on the sale of Russian Ka-226 light multi-purpose helicopters among other intergovernmental and commercial agreements reached during President Vladimir Putin's official visit to the Middle East country
* North Korea has agreed to close its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon in return for international aid, while the U.S. has pledged to strike it off its list of countries sponsoring terrorism
* Russia, the United States, South Korea and China will provide humanitarian aid to North Korea in return for its nuclear disarmament, a joint statement at the six-party talks said
* A Swiss-owned Challenger-850 plane crashed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport injuring three crew members
* The Palestinian government must resign in the next few days to form a new Cabinet in accordance with an agreement the two leading parties reached in Mecca last week, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said
* The Unites States has promised to resolve the issue of financial sanctions against North Korea by the next round of the six-nation talks in Beijing, scheduled for March 19
* Russia hailed the results of six-nation talks on the North Korean nuclear problem in Beijing, which resulted in the adoption of a plan of initial steps on Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament, the head of the Russian delegation said
* Russia condemns Tuesday's terrorist attacks in Lebanon and calls on Lebanese political forces to resist being provoked, the Russian Foreign Ministry said
* Gazprom's net profit, calculated to International Financial Reporting Standards, was $17.6 billion in January-September 2006, rising 96.7% year-on-year, the Russian energy giant said
* Russia could announce a tender for the prospecting of the Sakhalin-III oil and gas project in the Far East this year, said Ivan Malakhov, Sakhalin Region governor
* Iran will continue enriching uranium, but has fresh proposals to make if international talks resume, Iranian officials said
