Eurasia

(Reuters) – Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom and Ukrainian energy firm Naftogaz have signed 10-year gas supply and transit deals, ending a contract row which left part of Europe without the supplies in midwinter. The contracts, signed in the presence of the prime ministers of both countries on Monday, allowed …

PARIS (Reuters) – France signaled on Tuesday that it might be prepared to hold talks with Hamas even if the Palestinian Islamist group does not recognize Israel as Paris and other Western powers have demanded for years. The “Quartet” of Middle East mediators — the United States, the European Union, …

SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria has received the first quantities of Russian gas on Tuesday and normal daily supplies to domestic consumers could resume in 24 hours, the Economy and Energy Ministry said. Sofia has requested at least 8.6 million cubic meters of gas a day, the ministry said in a …

MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – Russian gas reached Europe via Ukraine for the first time in two weeks on Tuesday after Moscow and Kiev ended a contract row that cut supplies to about 20 European countries. Austria, Slovakia and Hungary said they had started to receive gas though pipeline operators said it …

TEHRAN (FNA)- EU is ready to monitor implementation of ceasefire in Gaza, EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana said in a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari. At the meeting held in Brussels on Monday, the two diplomats discussed Gaza, Afghanistan, Caucasia and the Central Asia and other …

MOSCOW (Reuters) – The United States urged Russia on Sunday to resume pumping gas to Europe through Ukraine at once after finally agreeing a price for 2009 as negotiators worked on a detailed Russian-Ukrainian agreement to be signed Monday. The prime ministers of Ukraine and Russia said they had agreed …

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Who pays and who profits from Sunday’s apparent agreement on a new gas relationship between Russia and Ukraine? In a normal, commercial world, it should be easy enough to work out. But the complex, opaque nature of the two nations’ gas dealings and the lack of full …

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union Presidency said on Sunday that it was not clear when gas supplies would resume to Europe despite a deal announced by the prime ministers of Ukraine and Russia. “We welcome the progress achieved in the talks between the representatives of the Russian Federation and …

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict, in his strongest comments yet on the situation in Gaza, on Sunday condemned the violence that has killed hundreds of “innocent victims.” Speaking at his weekly Sunday noon prayer, the pope also asked his listeners in St Peter’s Square and around the world to …

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) – European and conservative Arab leaders said on Sunday Israel and the Palestinians must turn a shaky ceasefire in Gaza into a permanent peace that prevents any recurrence of violence. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the host of a summit in the Red Sea resort of Sharm …