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December

• Iran, Russia to finalize Zohreh satellite contract IRNA 29 Dec 2004 -- Iran and Russia is to finalize an agreement for the construction of the Zohreh satellite for Iran.
• PROLIFERATION: RUSSIA VOA 29 Dec 2004 -- The security of nuclear material has long been an issue of concern in Russia and other former Soviet republics. For ten years the United States has funded a program dealing with the problem, and experts say progress is being made. Nonetheless the potential proliferation of some kinds of "loose nukes" remains a serious concern
• Russia reaffirms continued nuclear cooperation with Iran IRNA 27 Dec 2004 -- Head of the Russian Federation`s Atomic Energy Agency Alexander Rumyantsev said here Monday that his country will continue cooperating with Iran on its peaceful nuclear program without any worries.
• Putin's trip to Iran a turning point in Tehran-Moscow relations IRNA 27 Dec 2004 -- Russian Federation Council Chairman (Upper House of Russian Parliament) said here Monday that the trip by the Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2005 will be turning point Tehran-Moscow relations.
• Iran, Russia to continue cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy IRNA 24 Dec 2004 -- Russian First Deputy Chairman of State Duma said here Friday that Moscow attaches importance to ties with Iran as a strong nation in the region and is keen to bolster bilateral relations in all areas in 2005.
• Russia to continue building nuclear powerplants in Iran IRNA 24 Dec 2004 -- Head of Russian Atomic Energy Agency said here Friday that Moscow will complete the first phase of the Bushehr nuclear powerplant in 2005.
• Japan Demands Russia Return All Disputed Islands RFE/RL 24 Dec 2004 -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi today reiterated that Russia must return all four disputed Pacific islands seized in 1945 at the end of World War II.
• Highly Enriched Uranium Repatriated from Czech Republic to Russia Washington File 23 Dec 2004 -- U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced December 22 that six kilograms of highly enriched uranium (HEU) that could be used for nuclear weapons have been safely returned to the Russian Federation from the Czech Republic.
• PUTIN SPEECH VOA 23 Dec 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says the United States remains a key partner and praised US President George Bush. But, the Russian leader also said he would like to know whether the United States is intentionally seeking to isolate Russia. The Bush administration so far has no comment on Putin's speech.
• Putin Concerned West Trying To 'Isolate' Russia RFE/RL 23 Dec 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today raised the possibility that the West, and the U.S. in particular, is trying to "isolate" Russia by interfering in Moscow's relations with its neighbors.
• Putin Defends Reforms, Condemns 'Revolutions' RFE/RL 23 Dec 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today used his annual Kremlin press conference to address many of the issues that made headlines in Russia and abroad in 2004.
• Russia voices readiness to build 7 nuclear power plants in Iran IRNA 18 Dec 2004 -- Head of the Russian Federation`s Atomic Energy Agency Alexander Rumyantsev said on Saturday that Russia may construct seven other nuclear power plants in Iran.
• Lavrov: Russia supports expansion of Iran`s peaceful nuclear activities IRNA 17 Dec 2004 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said here on Thursday his country was ready to build new nuclear power plants for Iran.
• Russia: Moscow Seeks Changes In Monitoring On Russian-Georgian Border RFE/RL 17 Dec 2004 -- A challenge by Russia has led to a crisis at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Russia said it might veto next year's budget unless other members agree to modify the OSCE's monitoring operation on the Russian-Georgian border.
• EP deplores Russian decision to develop new nuclear arms IRNA 15 Dec 2004 -- The European Parliament Wednesday regretted the lack of substantial progress at the EU-Russia Summit held at the Hague in November on creating common areas of freedom, security and justice, external security and education and culture
• U.S., Russia to Discuss Satellite Navigation System Cooperation Washington File 14 Dec 2004 -- The United States and the Russian Federation intend to begin preliminary discussions on an agreement for cooperation between the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS).
• Moscow to continue peaceful nuclear cooperation with Iran IRNA 14 Dec 2004 -- Head of Russian Atomic Energy Agency pledged here Tuesday that his country will continue with peaceful nuclear cooperation with Iran in 2005.
• Russia/China: Beijing Announces Joint Military Exercises With Russia RFE/RL 14 Dec 2004 -- The government in Beijing says China and Russia will hold their first-ever joint military exercises in 2005. Moscow has long been the major arms supplier to its massive eastern neighbor. The announcement could signal that the former Cold War rivals are now seeking closer ties in order to act as a counterbalance to U.S. dominance. But one military analyst says the exercises will be more show than substance.
• Tehran expects Russia to built its next nuclear power plant: Mironov IRNA 13 Dec 2004 -- "Tehran expects that we will build the next nuclear power plant in Iran," Russian Federation Council Chairman Sergei Mironov said on the results of his official visit to Iran.
• Russia welcomes Iran`s nuclear progress: official IRNA 12 Dec 2004 -- Chairman of the Russian Federation Council, Sergei Mironov, reiterated here Sunday his country`s position in acknowledging Iran`s right to peaceful nuclear technology.
• RUSSIA / WAR ANNIVERSARY VOA 11 Dec 2004 -- Ten years ago today (Saturday), three armored columns, carrying thousands of Russian troops and weapons, roared into the southern region of Chechnya, attempting to crush a bid for independence. The first war in Chechnya ushered in a new era in post-Soviet Russia.
• Analysis: Look Back In Anger -- Ten Years Of War In Chechnya RFE/RL 11 Dec 2004 -- Analysis: Look Back In Anger -- Ten Years Of War In Chechnya
• RUSSIA/UKRAINE/EU VOA 10 Dec 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia would not object to Ukraine joining the European Union. He says it would help the Russian economy to closer integrate into the EU. The Russian leader's comments follow weeks of heated rhetoric between Russia and the European Union over Ukraine's disputed presidential election.
• World: Putin Aide Stresses East-West Cooperation On Terrorism RFE/RL 10 Dec 2004 -- An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin says he's confident that recent aggravations in relations between Moscow and the West can be overcome.
• Chechnya: Ten Years After -- The Logic Behind The First Chechen War RFE/RL 10 Dec 2004 -- On 11 December 1994, Russian troops entered Chechnya. Officially, their mission was to restore Moscow's authority over the secessionist republic. The Russian defense minister at the time, Pavel Grachev, assured then President Boris Yeltsin that the Chechen capital Grozny could be seized in two hours by a regiment of paratroopers. Ten years and two military campaigns later, the war rages on, with no end in sight.
• Russia, U.S. Discuss Antiterror Cooperation RFE/RL 10 Dec 2004 -- An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin says he's confident that recent aggravations in relations between Moscow and the West can be overcome.
• TURKEY / RUSSIA VOA 06 Dec 2004 -- During a visit to Turkey, Russian President Vladimr Putin warned western countries against fomenting divisions in Ukraine and other countries, describing such attempts as counterproductive and destabilizing.
• Russia, India set to expand military cooperation IRNA 04 Dec 2004 -- Russia and India intend to expand cooperation in military hardware predominantly in the aircraft and arms systems of the fifth generation.
• Russia, India agree on military interaction in Central Asia IRNA 04 Dec 2004 -- A Russian military delegation source in the Indian capital told Itar-Tass on Saturday that Russia and India had agreed on the possibility of military interaction in Central Asia, including Tajikistan.
• INDIA/PUTIN VOA 03 Dec 2004 -- At the start of a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to New Delhi, India and Russia have reaffirmed their commitment to a strong relationship. The countries say they will give new momentum to their long-term friendship by expanding military and business ties.
• Putin Criticizes Ukrainian Push For New Vote RFE/RL 02 Nov 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today criticized the Ukrainian opposition's push to repeat that country's disputed presidential election.
• INDIA/PUTIN SCENESETTER VOA 02 Dec 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India for a three-day visit Friday to consolidate a historically strong friendship. The two countries announced plans to jointly develop high-technology military hardware.
• Bush Waives Conditions on Russian Weapons Destruction Facility Washington File 01 Dec 2004 -- President Bush has issued a waiver that frees up funding for a Russian facility to destroy chemical weapons.

  November

• Russia Says Ties With West Being Tested RFE/RL 28 Nov 2004 -- A top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday called Ukraine's election dispute a "powerful test" of Russia's relations with the West and accused politicians in the United States and Europe of fomenting political change in the former Soviet republic.
• Iran, Russia resume talks on Zohreh Satellite IRNA 27 Nov 2004 -- Iranian and Russian officials will resume talks on the project concerning Zohreh Satellite as of Monday, it was announced here Saturday.
• Russian Physicist Convicted Of Spying For China RFE/RL 24 Nov 2004 -- A Siberian court today sentenced a Russian physicist to 14 years in prison for passing space technology secrets to China.
• Russia: Putin Says Russia Developing New Breed Of Nuclear Missiles RFE/RL 18 Nov 2004 -- President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia is developing a new generation of nuclear missiles superior to those currently possessed by any other country. Analysts say the missiles appear designed to dodge a defense system being developed by the United States, fueling fears that a new arms race may be about to begin. But the United States, for its part, says it is not especially concerned.
• US/RUSSIA VOA 17 Nov 2004 -- The Bush administration says it is not alarmed by Russia's announcement it is developing a new nuclear missile. Russian President Vladimir Putin says the program is part of efforts to improve Russia's armed forces.
• Putin Promises New Breed Of Nuclear Missile RFE/RL 17 Nov 2004 -- President Vladimir Putin said today that Russia is developing a new form of nuclear missile unlike that of any other country and unlikely to be matched by others.
• RUSSIA / NUCLEAR VOA 17 Nov 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country is developing a new type of nuclear missile. Mr. Putin spoke at an annual meeting of the armed forces' senior leadership.
• Putin Promises New Breed Of Nuclear Missile RFE/RL 17 Nov 2004 -- President Vladimir Putin said today that Russia is developing a new form of nuclear missile unlike that of any other country and unlikely to be matched by others.
• Putin Promises New Breed Of Nuclear Missile RFE/RL 17 Nov 2004 -- President Vladimir Putin said today that Russia is developing a new form of nuclear missile unlike that of any other country and unlikely to be matched by others.
• Russia: Moscow Hints At Effort To Resolve Dispute With Japan Over Kurile Islands RFE/RL 16 Nov 2004 -- Could the long-running dispute between Japan and Russia over the four southern Kurile Islands be edging toward a resolution? Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin both recently announced that Moscow recognizes a 1956 declaration under which Moscow agreed to return two of the islands to Japan -- an indication it may be willing to reopen talks on the issue. But so far, the reaction from Tokyo has not been enthusiastic.
• Analysis: When A Rumor Is As Good As A Bomb RFE/RL 11 Nov 2004 -- On 4-5 November, a wave of panic, fueled apparently by false rumors, swept over the region around the Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant in Saratov Oblast, Russian media reported. The panic reached the cities of Saratov, Samara, Mari-El, Ulyanovsk, Tolyatti, and Penza, as well as many towns and villages in the region, "Nezavisimaya gazeta" reported on 10 November. At least 10 cases of iodine poisoning were registered, as panicked locals tried to protect themselves from the effects of radiation.
• Russian Scientist Jailed To Stop Influencing Spy Trial RFE/RL 10 Nov 2004 -- A Russian court today jailed a scientist who is facing sentencing for spying for China.

  October

• United States Will Stand With Russia Against Terror Washington File 27 Oct 2004 -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak went to the Rizhskaya Metro Station in Moscow October 27 to remember the victims of the August 31 terrorist bombing.
• Russia: Rumors, Theories Still Swirl Around Beslan Tragedy RFE/RL 26 Oct 2004 -- A Russian intraparliamentary commission charged with investigating last month's school hostage massacre in Beslan recently returned from the city. The commission's official report is not due to be made public until the end of its investigation, which may continue for at least another six months. Meanwhile, unsubstantiated theories and rumors continue to swirl around the siege, during which 340 people, nearly half of them children, were killed, according to official figures.
• Russia: Military Conscripts Caught In Deadly 'Cycle Of Violence' RFE/RL 21 Oct 2004 -- The abuse of conscripts in the Russian military -- known as hazing or "rule of the grandfathers" ("dedovshchina") in Russian -- is a widespread problem that independent monitors say claims several thousand lives each year. The nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch has issued a new report based on extensive research and interviews with current and former soldiers. It paints a harrowing picture of life in today's Russian armed forces.
• Russia, Tajikistan Agree On Military Base, Debt RFE/RL 16 Oct 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin, on a visit to Takijistan, today signed a series of bilateral deals, including one establishing a permanent military base in the Central Asian country.
• Georgia Says Russia Sending Troops To Abkhazia RFE/RL 16 Oct 2004 -- Georgia today accused Russia of smuggling troops into Abkhazia, warning that the move may further destabilize the situation in the separatist Black Sea province.
• RUSSIA/CHECHEN POLICY VOA 14 Oct 2004 -- For years, Chechnya has been a major problem for Russian -- and before them -- Soviet leaders.
• Russia Opening Military Base In Tajikistan RFE/RL 14 Oct 2004 -- Russia is opening a new military base in Tajikistan, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov announced today.
• Analysis: Russia Treads Fine Line On Iranian Nuclear Issue RFE/RL 13 Oct 2004 -- At a press conference during his recent visit to Tehran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia does not support the idea of referring Tehran's nuclear case to the United Nations and will continue nuclear cooperation with Iran.
• Russia: Mourning Period Ends For Beslan Tragedy Amid Fears Of Interethnic Violence RFE/RL 13 Oct 2004 -- The 40-day mourning period for the victims of the Beslan hostage crisis has ended, and there are fears that interethnic violence could reignite in the region. The hundreds of victims of the school siege -- nearly half of them children -- were mostly North Ossetians. Relatives of the victims blame militants from neighboring Ingushetia for the tragedy. Tensions between Muslim Ingush and Christian Ossetians go back many decades.
• RUSSIA/CHECHEN LEADERS VOA 13 Oct 2004 -- For the past 10 years, Chechnya has been the scene of violence as Russian forces try to defeat separatist rebels.
• RUSSIA / BESLAN MOURNING VOA 12 Oct 2004 -- Orthodox Christians in Russia are marking the end of the 40-day mourning period for the more than 300 people, half of them children, killed in the siege of a school in the North Ossetian town of Beslan. There are fears that in the days to come some people could seek to carry out revenge attacks, but the Russian government and religious leaders have called for peace.
• Iran and Russia say deal on return of spent fuel close IRNA 10 Oct 2004 -- Iran and Russia announced Sunday that a deal for return of spent fuel from Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran to Russia was at the final stage.
• Russia to continue atomic energy cooperation with Iran - FM IRNA 10 Oct 2004 -- Russia will continue atomic energy cooperation with Iran, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Tehran on Sunday.
• Russia welcomes progress in Iran-IAEA relations - Lavrov IRNA 10 Oct 2004 -- Russia welcomes progress in relations between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after a Sunday meeting with his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi.
• Iran, Russia to sign contract on nuclear fuel IRNA 10 Oct 2004 -- Visiting Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi here Sunday announced that the two countries are finalizing the deal on providing Iran with nuclear fuel by Russia and the return of the spent fuel from Bushehr nuclear power plant.

  September

• Russia: Iran Under IAEA's Mandate VOA 29 Sep 2004 -- Moscow opposes referring Iran's nuclear program to the UN Security Council, saying the issue should be handled by the UN's nuclear agency.
• Putin: "Iran does not need nuclear weapons" IRNA 25 Sep 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on Friday that he was "convinced that Iran does not need nuclear weapons.
• Putin Urges Iran To Meet IAEA Demands RFE/RL 24 Sep 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today urged Iran to meet the demands of the UN nuclear watchdog and stop uranium enrichment activities. s federal agency for nuclear energy said here on Tuesday.
• Chechen Leader Says Basaev Will Be Tried After War RFE/RL 24 Sep 2004 -- Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov says once the war is over in Russia's breakaway republic, radical field commander Shamil Basaev will be put on trial for the massive hostage taking in Beslan.
• RUSSIA / KOREA VOA 21 Sep 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and his South Korean counterpart President Roh Moo Hyun have reiterated calls for curbing North Korea's nuclear weapons drive and continuing the six-nation talks aimed at defusing the Korean nuclear crisis.
• Putin Accuses West Of Double Standards On Terrorists RFE/RL 18 Sep 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today accused the West of "double standards" in its attitude toward terrorism, saying that indulging terrorists amounts to complicity in terror.
• RUSSIA / PUTIN VOA 17 Sep 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is warning of preemptive strikes on terrorists. His announcement came shortly after prominent Chechen warlord, Shamil Basayev, claimed responsibility for the bloody school siege in Beslan two weeks ago. More than 320 hostages were killed in the siege.
• Basaev Claims Beslan Attacks RFE/RL 17 Sep 2004 -- Radical Chechen field commander Shamil Basaev is reported to have claimed responsibility for the school hostage siege in the southern Russian town of Beslan that left at least 320 people dead, most of them children.
• US / RUSSIA / TERROR VOA 14 Sep 2004 -- The United States expressed concern Tuesday about steps by Russian President Vladimir Putin to strengthen Kremlin power following recent terrorist attacks, including the school siege in North Ossetia.
• Russia: Observers Comment On Arab Coverage Of Beslan Tragedy RFE/RL 14 Sep 2004 -- Observers say they detect differences in the way the Arab media has covered the Russian school siege from previous terrorist attacks. The siege in Beslan in early September killed some 330 people. Considerable attention appears to have been focused on the victims -- many of whom were children -- rather than simply the terrorists and their causes.
• BRITAIN / CHECHNYA VOA 14 Sep 2004 -- A senior Chechen envoy is calling for the international community to pressure Russia into negotiations with Chechnya, saying more tragedies like the Beslan school siege could result if the Caucasus region continues to radicalize. Akhmed Zakayev spoke at a news conference in London, where he lives in exile.
• Secret Mission to Recover Highly Enriched Uranium in Uzbekistan Successful US Dept. of Energy 13 Sep 2004 -- Eleven kilograms of enriched uranium fuel, including highly enriched uranium (HEU) that could be used for nuclear weapons, were safely returned to Russia from Uzbekistan in a secret mission conducted by the United States, Uzbekistan, and Russia, U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham announced today. The mission was completed September 9, 2004.
• CONGRESS / RUSSIA / TERRORISM VOA 13 Sep 2004 -- The U.S. Congress has been paying tribute to the hundreds of people killed in the terrorist takeover of a school in southern Russia, as well as other recent incidents in that country. The House of Representatives (Monday) approved a resolution condemning the attacks
• Russia: Putin Seeking Government Changes To Strengthen Fight Against Terror RFE/RL 13 Sep 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today ordered sweeping changes to Russia's political system in the name of combating terrorism. The changes come in the wake of the Beslan school siege, but they immediately drew accusations that Putin is exploiting the tragedy to boost his personal power. Among the suggested changes are a new regional ministry and new election laws that, among other things, would call for the appointment -- rather than the election -- of regional governors.
• RUSSIA/POLITICS VOA 13 Sep 2004 -- In response to a series of deadly terror attacks in Russia in recent weeks, President Vladimir Putin has announced a number of proposed changes to Russia's political system. The initiatives, aimed at improving security, will also give a massive boost to the Kremlin's powers.
• BUSH - RUSSIA TERROR VOA 12 Sep 2004 -- On the weekend America remembered the victims of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, President Bush also paid his respects to the hundreds of lives lost earlier this month at a school in southern Russia.
• RUSSIA / PROBE VOA 11 Sep 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin reversed an earlier stand and has agreed to allow the upper house of Parliament to investigate the recent hostage-taking attack on a school in southern Russia. Close to 340 hostages died in the siege, almost half of them school-children.
• BESLAN TRAGEDY: 'RUSSIA'S 9/11' US Dept. of State IIP, Foreign Media Reaction 10 Sep 2004
• U.S. Helsinki Commission Condemns Massacre in Beslan, Russia Washington File 09 Sep 2004 -- Members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission have added their voices to those throughout the world that have condemned the terrorist massacre at the school in Beslan in the North Ossetia region of the Russian Federation.
• Russia: Moscow Joins Countries Advocating Preemptive Stance On Terror RFE/RL 09 Sep 2004 -- The head of Russia's General Staff announced yesterday that Moscow is willing to strike against "terrorist bases" anywhere in the world. The comments come after the bloody school siege in southern Russia last week that left more than 300 civilians dead.
• Russia: Recounting The Beslan Hostage Siege -- A Chronology RFE/RL 09 Sep 2004 -- It has been nearly a week since the end of the hostage crisis in North Ossetia on 3 September. With each passing day, a few new details emerge about what exactly went on in Beslan. But many fundamental questions remain unanswered.
• Russian General Claims Right To Preemptive Strikes RFE/RL 08 Sep 2004 -- Comments by a Russian military official suggesting that Moscow has a right to launch preemptive strikes against terrorist threats anywhere in the world met with cautious responses today.
• Russia: U.S. Urges Chechen Settlement, Sympathizes In School Siege RFE/RL 08 Sep 2004 -- In the wake of the Beslan hostage tragedy, President Vladimir Putin has said Russia will increase efforts to extradite people with suspected ties to terrorism. At the top of the Foreign Ministry's extradition wish list is Ilyas Akhmadov, a former official in the separatist Chechen government of Aslan Maskhadov, who has been granted asylum in the United States. Russia has criticized the U.S. stance on Akhmadov and other Chechen separatists. But U.S. officials this week made efforts to demonstrate their solidarity with Russia on the issue of Beslan, pledging aid to the victims and seeking to downplay its ties with Chechen officials.
• RUSSIA / RESPONSE VOA 08 Sep 2004 -- Russia's Federal Security Service has offered a 10-million dollar reward for information leading authorities to the two most prominent Chechen rebel leaders. Russia also says it may launch pre-emptive strikes on bases used for training militants.
• US / RUSSIA / CHECHNYA VOA 07 Sep 2004 -- The United States Tuesday reaffirmed its "absolute solidarity" with Russia in its fight against terrorism, but also reiterated its support for a political solution to the Chechnya conflict. The comments followed charges by Russian President Vladimir Putin that U.S. meetings with Chechen separatists undermine Russia's efforts against terror.
• BRITAIN/RUSSIA TERROR VOA 07 Sep 2004 -- Prime Minister Tony Blair has publicly expressed his sympathy for those who have lost loved ones in the Beslan school siege, in Russia. In his monthly news conference, Mr. Blair also underlined that Britain stands in solidarity with Russia in the fight against terrorism.
• Russia: Putin Rejects Open Inquiry Into Beslan Tragedy As Critical Voices Mount RFE/RL 07 Sep 2004 -- Vladimir Putin, in an interview yesterday with foreign journalists, said he has refused to order a public inquiry into the Beslan hostage-taking crisis and its deadly aftermath. The Russian president said a private investigation will suffice. But a growing number of voices in Russia are criticizing the authorities' actions during the Beslan crisis.
• Russia: On Beslan, Putin Looks Beyond Chechnya, Sees International Terror RFE/RL 07 Sep 2004 -- Russia has been fighting a brutal war in Chechnya the past five years. Over the same period, Chechen militants have carried out multiple acts of terrorism on Russian soil. Yet to hear Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent days, the Russia-Chechnya conflict seemingly had little to do with the school hostage crisis in Beslan. In spite of claims by the hostage takers they were acting for an independent Chechnya, Putin -- instead -- pinned the blame on "international terrorists."
• Russia: Troubling Questions Remain About Bloody Beslan Siege RFE/RL 06 Sep 2004 -- Russia has begun two days of mourning for the hundreds of victims of the North Ossetia school massacre. But three days after the siege was broken, many fundamental questions remain about the tragedy and the authorities' handling of the incident. The exact number of victims, the number of hostage takers, and many other details have still not been revealed.
• ISRAEL / RUSSIA VOA 06 Sep 2004 -- Israel has offered to share its experience in combating militant groups with Russia as both sides call for closer cooperation in fighting terrorism. The move follows the killing of more than 350 people, about half of them children, during a terrorist siege of a school in southern Russia.
• RUSSIA / HOSTAGES VOA 06 Sep 2004 -- Russia is observing two days of mourning for the 350 victims of last week's terrorist school massacre. More funerals are being held in the town of Beslan as medical aid shipments arrive from the United States and other countries
• RUSSIA / AFTERMATH UPDATE VOA 05 Sep 2004 -- Grieving relatives in the town of Beslan in southern Russia continue to search for the remains of those who died Friday when Russian troops stormed the school where more than one-thousand people were held hostage by terrorists. At least 350 people, half of them children, died in Russia's deadliest act of terror. President Vladimir Putin says security will be tightened in the wake of the massacre.
• RUSSIA / AFTERMATH VOA 04 Sep 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin visited survivors of the school siege in southern Russia Saturday as people of the region mourned the death of more than 300 people. At least 600 people were injured during Friday's battle as Russian special forces took control of a school held for over two days by heavily-armed militants
• As Death Toll Tops 300, Russian President Signals Tough Stance RFE/RL 04 Sep 2004 -- Rescue workers today pulled more bodies from the ruins of the school in Beslan, North Ossetia, where the two-day hostage taking ended in bloody chaos yesterday, with the death toll climbing above 300.
• US / RUSSIA TERRORISM VOA 03 Sep 2004 -- The United States is condemning the school takeover in Russia as a "particularly barbaric" act of terrorism. It says the perpetrators bear all the blame for the casualties.
• Russia: Authorities Have Poor Record On Hostage Crises RFE/RL 03 Sep 2004 -- Russia has encountered several hostage crises before Beslan. In most instances, it has dealt poorly with them. In the 1995 Budyonnovsk case, the militants escaped. In the 2002 Moscow theater siege, scores of innocent hostages died when Russian special forces stormed the building.
• RUSSIA / HOSTAGES VOA 03 Sep 2004 -- The siege at the school in southern Russia took a dramatic turn Friday when heavy gunfire from militants inside led Russian troops to storm the building. Hundreds of hostages, including many children, managed to flee. Others have died and some are still being held.
• North Ossetia School Siege Ends in Hail of Gunfire, Roar of Explosions VOA News 03 Sep 2004 -- Reports from southern Russia say dozens of people have been killed in the school hostage crisis in the town of Beslan.
• Russian Troops Break Seige At School RFE/RL 03 Sep 2004 -- Sporadic explosions followed by sustained gunfire have broken out around a school in Beslan, in Russia's republic of North Ossetia, where militants have been holding hundreds of hostages. Groups of children are being evacuated from the school building, and it appears Russian soldiers have entered the school.
• Shooting, Explosions Continue Around North Ossetian School RFE/RL 03 Sep 2004 -- Shooting and explosions continue around the school in the Russian republic of North Ossetia that has been the scene of a three-day hostage crisis.
• Chaos At Scene Of Russian Hostage Drama RFE/RL 03 Sep 2004 -- Chaos has engulfed the scene of a hostage drama at a school in Russia's republic of North Ossetia.
• U.S. / RUSSIA / TERRORISM VOA 02 Sep 2004 -- The United States Thursday reiterated its "absolutely firm" condemnation of the hostage-taking in Russia's North Ossetia region despite its past support for a political solution to the Chechnya conflict. Secretary of State Colin Powell has discussed the hostage crisis by telephone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
• RUSSIA / SCHOOL SIEGE UPDATE VOA 02 Sep 2004 -- Armed militants holding hundreds of people hostage in southern Russia have freed around 30 women and children. The release comes as officials seek to hold more talks with the armed group holding the hostages inside the school.
• Russia: Hostage Drama In North Ossetia Enters Second Day; At Least 12 Civilians Dead RFE/RL 02 Sep 2004 -- There are reports of two large explosions at a school in the southern Russian republic of North Ossetia that is the scene of an unfolding hostage drama. Large plumes of black smoke could be seen rising above the school this afternoon, where a group of armed men are holding some 325 hostages, including around 100 children. The cause of the blasts is not immediately clear. The attackers stormed the school in the town of Beslan early yesterday on the first day of classes in the new school year. While casualty figures vary, the North Ossetian interior minister said 12 civilians have been killed. He also said 15 students have so far managed to escape. And reports say 26 women and children, including infants, were freed by the gunmen this afternoon.
• RUSSIA / SCHOOL SIEGE VOA 02 Sep 2004 -- Russian officials say there has been no progress in talks with militants holding over 300 people hostage inside a school in the region of North Ossetia near war-torn Chechnya. President Vladimir Putin has postponed a trip to Turkey to deal with the crisis.
• Hostage Crisis In Russia Enters Second Day RFE/RL 02 Sep 2004 -- A group of armed men are holding for a second day today some 350 hostages, including children at a school in Russia's southern republic of North Ossetia.
• JAPAN/RUSSIA/ISLANDS VOA 02 Sep 2004 -- In a move that Moscow has criticized, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has sailed close to Russian-held islands that Japan claims as its own.
• U.S. Strongly Condemns Terrorist Attacks in Russia Washington File 01 Sep 2004 -- The White House issued a statement August 31 condemning in the "strongest terms" the recent terrorist attacks in the Russian Federation.
• CHECHNYA: MOSCOW SHOULD 'SERIOUSLY EXPLORE' DIALOGUE US Dept. of State IIP, Foreign Media Reaction 01 Sep 2004
• At Least Two Dead In North Ossetian School Standoff RFE/RL 01 Sep 2004 -- Russian authorities faced more Caucasus-related violence today, as a group of armed attackers stormed a school in the southern republic of North Ossetia, taking hundreds of children and adults hostage. At least two people have been killed in the incident and 11 injured.
• RUSSIA / SCHOOL ATTACK VOA 01 Sep 2004 -- More than a dozen heavily armed gunmen seized up to 200 people, including many children, in the southern Russian republic of North Ossetia.
• Armed Men Seize Hostages At School In Southern Russia RFE/RL 01 Sep 2004 -- A force of armed attackers today stormed and barricaded themselves in a school in the Russian republic of North Ossetia, taking between 120 and 150 people, including schoolchildren, as hostages.

  August

• RUSSIA / BLAST VOA 31 Aug 2004 -- suicide bombing in Moscow Tuesday killed at least 10 people and wounded many more. The incident comes amid heightened tension in Russia after two crashes of Russian airliners last week that officials say were acts of terrorism.
• RUSSIA / BLAST VOA 31 Aug 2004 -- A car bomb exploded in Moscow Tuesday night, killing at least eight people and wounding many more. The incident comes amid heightened tension in Russia after the two crashes of Russian airliners last week that officials say were acts of terrorism.
• U.S.-CHECHNYA ELECTION VOA 30 Aug 2004 -- The United States says Sunday's elections in Chechnya, won in a landslide by a Kremlin-backed candidate, were seriously flawed and fell short of international standards.
• CHECHNYA/VOTE VOA 30 Aug 2004 -- The Kremlin-backed candidate for president in Russia's breakaway region of Chechnya has won an election whose outcome was never really in doubt. But many Chechens appear to believe the vote will do little to end the long-running conflict over independence.
• Probe Into Russian Plane Crashes Centers on 2 Female Passengers VOA 28 Aug 2004 -- In Russia, investigators looking into the cause of two near simultaneous airliner crashes, are focusing their attention on two female passengers, who purchased tickets for each flight at the last minute. Investigators have reported finding traces of explosives at both crash sites.
• Russia: Officials Believe One Of Two Plane Crashes Was Result Of Terrorism RFE/RL 27 Aug 2004 -- Russian officials say they believe at least one of two plane crashes that killed 89 people this week was the result of a terrorist attack. The comments come as investigators say they have found traces of explosives in the wreckage of one of the planes that crashed within moments of each other late on 24 August. News of that discovery follows a claim of responsibility for both crashes by an Islamist group.
• RUSSIA/PLANES VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- Investigators in Russia say they've found evidence that explosives were used in the downing of at least one of two airliners which crashed within minutes of each other on Tuesday.
• FSB: One Of Russian Air Crashes Terror Attack RFE/RL 27 Aug 2004 -- Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said today that at least one of the two Russian plane crashes on 24 August that killed a total of 89 people was the result of a terrorist attack.
• Analysis: Explosives Found In Russian Jet's Wreckage RFE/RL 27 Aug 2004 -- A Federal Security Service (FSB) spokesman announced on 27 August that traces of the explosive hexogen have been found in the wreckage of the Tu-154 passenger jet that crashed on 24 August, RTR and other Russian media reported. The spokesman added that so far no explosives have been found at the site of the crash the same day of a Tu-134 jet, although analyses are ongoing. This is the strongest evidence thus far that terrorism and not "pilot error" or "bad fuel" was responsible for the twin tragedies.
• RUSSIA / CRASH AFTERMATH VOA 26 Aug 2004 -- Russian investigators continue to look for clues in the two airline crashes that killed 89 people, late Tuesday, with terrorism not ruled out as a possible cause. Meanwhile, Russians are observing a day of mourning for the victims.
• Two Russian Airliners Crash RFE/RL 25 Aug 2004 -- Russian authorities are tightening security at airports after two Russian airliners crashed at nearly the same time late yesterday.
• Russia's Intelligence Agency Investigating Plane Crashes RFE/RL 25 Aug 2004 -- Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) is investigating two separate Russian plane crashes that killed about 90 people.
• RUSSIA/CRASHES VOA 25 Aug 2004 -- Investigators in Russia are looking into what caused two passenger planes to crash at almost the same time while flying from Moscow to cities in the southern part of the country. Eighty-nine people died in the two overnight air disasters.
• Russia: Moscow Raises Spending For Defense, Police, Secret Services RFE/RL 24 Aug 2004 -- The Russian cabinet approved yesterday a draft 2005 budget that increases defense spending by 28 percent, while also boosting outlays for law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Is the Kremlin on a war footing?
• Russian Supreme Court Rejects Academic's Appeal RFE/RL 17 Aug 2004 -- The Russian Supreme Court today rejected an appeal by a former arms-control researcher sentenced for treason in what some say was a politically motivated case.
• Russia, US to conduct joint naval exercise in Norwegian Sea IRNA 14 Aug 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said after his talks with US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Saturday that Russia and the United States would conduct a large-scale joint naval exercise in the Norwegian Sea in September.

  July

• Russia: Putin Dismisses Head of General Staff In Military Shake-Up RFE/RL 20 Jul 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday fired the head of the General Staff, General Anatolii Kvashnin, along with three other top military commanders. The move appears to be part of the Kremlin's long-term effort to reorganize Russia's military into an effective 21st-century force.
• Iran, Russia study nuclear cooperation IRNA 19 Jul 2004 -- Iran and Russia here Monday reviewed ways of expanding mutual cooperation on peaceful use of nuclear energy.
• Putin Sacks Several Top Military, Security Officers RFE/RL 19 Jul 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today dismissed several top military and security officers.
• BRITAIN / RUSSIA DEFENSE VOA 12 Jul 2004 -- Russia has announced a major test of security at its nuclear facilities. The Russian defense minister, on a visit to London, says NATO will be invited to send observers.
• Russia's Upper House Ratifies CFE Treaty RFE/RL 07 Jul 2004 -- Russia's upper house of parliament today ratified the modified Conventional Forces in Europe treaty.
• Talks between DPRK and Russian Foreign Ministers Held KCNA 05 Jul 2004 -- Talks took place between DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
• 2005-2006 Plan of Exchange between For. Ministries of DPPK and Russia KCNA 05 Jul 2004 -- A 2005-2006 plan of exchange between the foreign ministries of the DPRK and the Russian Federation was signed at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on July 4.
• Russian FM Calls for Package Solution to DPRK-U.S. Nuclear Issue KCNA 05 Jul 2004 -- Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in an interview with Russian pressmen appreciated the results of the third round of the six-party talks on the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. as a "good omen," according to ITAR TASS on July 1.
• Moscow, Seoul Agree Close Cooperation On North Korea RFE/RL 03 Jul 2004 -- Russia and South Korea say they will closely cooperate in talks aimed at defusing the crisis over North Korea's nuclear-weapons development.

  June

• RUSSIA / QATAR VOA 30 Jun 2004 -- Russia's foreign minister has rejected the finding by a court in the Gulf State of Qatar that two Russian security agents were involved in the assassination of a former Chechen rebel leader in Qatar earlier this year. The comment came came shortly after the court in Qatar sentenced the two men to life in prison for the February killing, and said the murder had been ordered by Russian officials.
• Russians Kill Suspected Leader Of Ingush Attacks RFE/RL 28 Jun 2004 -- Russian authorities claimed today that federal forces have killed one of those responsible for planning the 21-22 June attacks in the southern Russian republic of Ingushetia that killed nearly 100 people.
• Russia stresses continuation of nuclear cooperation with Iran IRNA 27 Jun 2004 -- Head of Russian Atomic Energy Agency Alexander Rumyantsev stressed here Sunday on continuation of cooperation with Iran on nuclear energy.
• Russia: Ingushetia Mourns Its Dead Amid Renewed Concerns For Regional Stability RFE/RL 23 Jun 2004 -- Twenty-four hours after the militant attacks that struck the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia, there is still uncertainty as to who carried out the unprecedented raids. Reports from the area indicate many of the assailants were Ingush, raising once again the prospect of the Chechen war spilling over borders. Drawing a lesson from yesterday's assaults, the Russian leadership has decided to dispatch troop reinforcements to the area.
• RUSSIA / PUTIN VOA 23 Jun 2004 -- President Vladimir Putin pledges Russia will "destroy" the Chechen rebels who staged a major overnight incursion into a region next to Chechnya that left at least 57 people dead and dozens injured. The Russian leader flew down to Ingushetia to assess the situation.
• Planned Attacks Decimate Ingushetia's Interior Ministry RFE/RL 22 Jun 2004 -- Heavy fighting erupted overnight in Russia's southern republic of Ingushetia, west of Chechnya, as armed militants launched a multipronged offensive on several cities and villages.
• RUSSIA / FIGHTING VOA 22 Jun 2004 -- Russian troops have poured into Ingushetia in southern Russia in pursuit of suspected Chechen rebels. The rebels attacked the capital city overnight, leaving at least 46 people dead and dozens injured. President Vladimir Putin ordered the military to find and destroy the insurgents.
• Putin Wants Militants In Ingushetia Killed Or Captured RFE/RL 22 Jun 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today called for security forces in Ingushetia to track down and either kill or capture those who carried out coordinated attacks in the republic overnight that resulted in the deaths of nearly 50 people, including government officials.
• Dozens Killed, Wounded In Ingushetia Fighting RFE/RL 22 Jun 2004 -- Dozens of people were killed and wounded in fighting between between security forces and militants overnight in the Russian republic of Ingushetia, which borders Chechnya.
• Russia to get back spent nuclear fuel IRNA 22 Jun 2004 -- Nuclear materials are currently scattered in 53 countries of the world and, to reduce the threat of terrorism, governments are under pressure to exert every effort to bring them back to their source.
• CHINA-CENTRAL ASIA SUMMIT VOA 17 Jun 2004 -- Leaders of China, Russia, and four Central Asian republics have agreed to bolster their new security alliance. At a meeting in Uzbekistan, they pledged to support Afghanistan's efforts to maintain stability.
• Moscow Complains To U.S. Over Georgian Troop Use RFE/RL 11 Jun 2004 -- A top Russian diplomat has met with U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow to complain of Georgia's use of U.S.-trained troops in a separatist region.
• Duma OKs Key Shift In Russian Military Command RFE/RL 11 Jun 2004 -- The Russian Duma passed a law today giving Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov operational control of the army.
• Putin Says No Reason To Halt Iran Nuclear Cooperation RFE/RL 11 Jun 2004 -- President Vladimir Putin says Russia sees no reason to halt cooperation with Iran to build the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran.
• Russian Supreme Court Overturns Espionage Acquittal RFE/RL 09 Jun 2004 -- Russia's Supreme Court today overturned the acquittal of a Russian physicist on espionage charges and ordered a new trial.
• World: Russia Joins U.S.-Led Initiative On WMD RFE/RL 02 Jun 2004 -- Russia has announced it is joining the year-old Proliferation Security Initiative, a U.S.-led alliance of countries who are prepared to board ships and raid suspect factories in a bid to stem the trade in weapons of mass destruction. How has the project worked so far and what are its prospects for the future?
• New launch site for Russian rocket IRNA 01 Jun 2004 -- The last details of a project to launch the Russian Soyuz rockets from the Kourou space center in French Guiana have been settled.

  May

• Bio-Chem Program a Link to Former Soviet Scientists Washington File 13 May 2004 -- Following is a Department of State fact sheet, released May 12, on the U.S. Bio-Chem Redirect Program. The program is a targeted nonproliferation initiative designed to engage former Soviet biological and chemical weapons scientists in open and sustainable civilian research projects with U.S. collaborators
• Russia, Iran nuclear officials to discuss work at Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant IRNA 12 May 2004 -- Completion of (power) Unit No. 1 of the Iranian nuclear power plant in Bushehr and a number of other aspects of cooperation in the field of atomic energy will be the central issues in talks between Russian Atomic Energy Agency Director Alexander Rumyantsev and Iranian Atomic Energy Organization Deputy Director Asadollah Saburi on Wednesday.
• Iranian access to atomic weapons impossible: Russian official IRNA 12 May 2004 -- Iranian access to the atomic bomb is "impossible," said a Russian Foreign Ministry official who was quoted here Wednesday by a local paper.
• PUTIN / CHECHNYA VOA 11 May 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Chechnya early Tuesday, two days after pro-Moscow Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov was assassinated in Grozny. On his return to Moscow, he ordered the deployment of additional troops in the separatist region.
• Russia: Kadyrov's Death A Blow To Kremlin's Chechnya Policy RFE/RL 10 May 2004 -- Chechnya's pro-Moscow president, Akhmad-hadji Kadyrov, was buried today in his hometown after being killed in a bomb blast in Grozny yesterday. The explosion in the republican capital took place during annual celebrations marking the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The assassination marks a sharp setback for Moscow's Chechen policy.
• RUSSIA/CHECHNYA VOA 10 May 2004 -- Pro-Moscow Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov, killed in a bomb attack at a crowded stadium in the Chechen capital, Grozny, on Sunday, has been buried in his home village in Chechnya.
• RUSSIA/CHECHNYA VOA 09 May 2004 -- The pro-Moscow president of Chechnya was killed along with a number of others in a bomb blast during an annual parade in the Chechen capital, Grozny, to mark Moscow's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. The explosion appeared to mark a setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim that the long-running conflict in Chechnya is over.
• Chechen President Killed In Grozny Blast RFE/RL 09 May 2004 -- Chechnya's pro-Russian president, Akhmed-hadji Kadyrov, was killed and Russia's top military commander in the North Caucasus was critically injured today by an explosion that ripped through the seats of a crowded Grozny stadium.
• Tajikistan: Heroin Busts Tie Russian Military To Drug Trade RFE/RL 07 May 2004 -- For years, the Russian military has patrolled the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, one of the world's major drug-smuggling routes. Recently the troops' main job has been to stem the flow of Afghan heroin that is smuggled across the border on its way to Russia and Western markets. Now the reported arrests of two Russian border guards with heroin has once again raised questions about the involvement of the Russian military -- at a time when Tajikistan is looking to gradually assume command of the border service.

  April

• Russia: WMDs Abound In Russia, But International Interest Fades RFE/RL 28 Apr 2004 -- Two years ago, the G-8 states announced an ambitious new partnership to prevent the spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological materials amid increased fears of terrorism. The countries pledged to spend an unprecedented $20 billion over the next decade, mostly in Russia, to help Moscow destroy some of its weapons stockpiles and upgrade security at facilities retaining dangerous materials. But so far, according to experts, results on the ground have yet to match the political promises.
• UN Corrects Chechnya Report On Moscow's Insistence RFE/RL 20 Apr 2004 -- The United Nations today granted Russia's demand to describe the situation in Chechnya as "not an armed conflict" within the meaning of international treaties.
• RUSSIA/SPACE STATION VOA 21 Apr 2004 -- A two-man replacement crew and a scientist aboard a Russian spacecraft have arrived at the International Space Station, or I-S-S.
• Ten Russian Soldiers Killed In Chechnya RFE/RL 16 Apr 2004 -- An official in the Kremlin-backed Chechen administration said on condition of anonymity that 10 Russian soldiers died in rebel attacks throughout Chechnya over the past 24 hours.
• Moscow Says EU's Chechnya Move Helps Terrorism RFE/RL 09 Apr 2004 -- A senior Russian official today said the European Union is encouraging terrorism by asking the United Nations to condemn human rights abuses in Chechnya.
• Situation in Iraq "dangerous": Russia IRNA 09 Apr 2004 -- Russian Deputy foreign minister Anatoly E Safonov said on Thursday evening that the developing situation in Iraq is dangerous and such a scenario was expected following the US-led military action in that country.
• Russia: Researcher Sutyagin Convicted Of Espionage RFE/RL 06 Apr 2004 -- A Moscow court yesterday found a Russian nuclear-weapons expert guilty of espionage for the United States and Britain, ending another high-profile treason case against a prominent researcher. Igor Sutyagin, an arms expert from Moscow's respected USA-Canada Institute, could receive a jail term of up to 20 years when he is sentenced on 7 April.
• Russia: Authorities Close Ingush Camp, But Call Returns To Chechnya Voluntary RFE/RL 02 Apr 2004 -- One of two remaining camps in Ingushetia housing internally displaced persons from Chechnya was closed yesterday. The authorities are trying to encourage Chechens to return to their homeland, claiming the situation there is improving.
• Shingarev: Moscow abides by its nuclear commitments towards Tehran IRNA 01 Apr 2004 -- Russian Nuclear Energy Organization announced on Thursday that Moscow adheres to its commitments towards Tehran in completing the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) project.

  March

• U.S., Russian Nuclear Risk Watch Officers Begin Exchange Program Washington File 30 Mar 2004 -- It has been almost 17 years since the United States and the then-Soviet Union agreed to establish centers in each country that would regularly exchange information aimed at reducing the risk of nuclear war.
• Russia: Nuclear Warship Docked After Navy Chief Voices Safety Concerns RFE/RL 25 Mar 2004 -- One of Russia's leading warships, the nuclear-powered "Peter the Great" missile cruiser, has been temporarily docked following critical remarks by the Russian navy chief regarding the ship's maintenance. Vladimir Kuroyedov said the cruiser was in such poor condition that the possibility of a nuclear accident could not be ruled out. He later retracted the statement, prompting some observers to speculate his comments were motivated more by politics than safety concerns.
• Nuclear fuel repatriation protocol with Iran to be signed soon IRNA 24 Mar 2004 -- A Russian-Iranian protocol on the return of spent nuclear fuel from Bushehr nuclear power plant will be signed in Tehran or in Moscow in the near future, Iran`s Ambassador to Russia Gholam-Reza Shafei told Tass in an interview on Tuesday.
• Russian official says no obstacle in completing Bushehr power plant IRNA 19 Mar 2004 -- A Russian nuclear official said here Friday that Russia is determined to continue cooperation with Iran on completion of the under-construction Bushehr nuclear power plant.
• Russia test-fires strategic missiles from submarine PLA Daily 18 Mar 2004 -- Russian Northern Fleet nuclear submarine Novomoskovsky on Wednesday successfully test-fired two RSM-54 ballistic missiles, Interfax news agency reported.
• U-S / RUSSIA /IRAN VOA 18 Mar 2004 -- U-S lawmakers and State Department officials in Washington today (Thursday) discussed the future of relations with Russia following the country's recent re-election of incumbent president Vladimir Putin. Despite concerns about the state of democratic institutions in Russia, U-S officials are optimistic that Russia and the United States will still work closely together on strategic issues - including Russia's controversial involvement in Iran's nuclear program.
• Construction of Bushehr plant faces difficulties - Russia IRNA 17 Mar 2004 -- Head of the Federal Service for Nuclear Supervision Andrei Malyshev said the construction of the nuclear power plant in Bushehr faces organizational and financial difficulties.
• Cooperation with IAEA to close Iran`s nuclear dossier - Lavrov IRNA 17 Mar 2004 -- Iran`s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the sole way of closing the Iranian nuclear dossier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
• RUSSIA / FOREIGN POLICY VOA 17 Mar 2004 -- Russia's new foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, says Russia and the United States will continue to be what he called strategic partners. But in his first news conference since taking office he was also sharply critical of U-S policy on Iraq.
• DoD Continues Efforts To Reduce WMD Proliferation Threat AFPS 16 Mar 2004 -- The Defense Department continues to work with Russia, former Soviet states, and other countries to prevent the proliferation of deadly weapons of mass destruction and to keep them out of terrorists' hands, a senior DoD official told a Senate Armed Services Committee panel last week.
• RUSSIA / ELECT VOA 15 Mar 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to press ahead with social, economic and political reforms, after securing a resounding victory in Sunday's national election. But the election is drawing criticism from opposition challengers and international observers, who say it was not genuinely democratic.
• RUSSIA / ELECTION VOA 14 Mar 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to be re-elected easily to a second four-year term in Sunday's presidential election. The only uncertainty of the poll was whether enough voters would turn out to make the election legal. But early turnout is strong.
• Russia: Moscow, Qatar In Heated Standoff Over Yandarbiev Assassination RFE/RL 12 Mar 2004 -- Tensions are rising between Russia and the Persian Gulf state of Qatar, which are engaged in a heated standoff over the fate of two Russian special agents detained in connection with last month's assassination of former Chechen separatist President Zelimkhan Yandarbiev. Moscow says the two men are innocent and is demanding their release. But Qatar -- which recently passed legislation mandating the death penalty in all murder cases -- is standing firm.
• U.S., Russian Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers to Host Staff Exchange Washington File 04 Mar 2004 -- The State Department has announced that its Nuclear Risk Reduction Center will host two Russian Watch Officers March 22-26, while the Russian Center will in turn host U.S. Watch Officers in April.
• Russia may supply floating nuclear power plants to India IRNA 04 Mar 2004 -- Russia can supply floating nuclear power plants to India, Deputy Atomic Energy Minister Vladimir Asmolov said on Thursday.
• Russia: Moscow Failing To Abide By Key CFE Treaty RFE/RL 02 Mar 2004 -- One of the most important tools in cutting back the arsenals and armies of the Cold War is the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE). Signed in 1990, the CFE sets limits on the weapons and military personnel a country can deploy. But one signatory, Russia, has failed to comply with the treaty regarding its own troop deployments in Moldova and Georgia.
• Putin: Military Must Fix Flaws Exposed In Exercises RFE/RL 01 Mar 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today urged the military to identify and correct the errors that occurred in last month's military exercises, which were observed by the president.
• 2nd round of Beijing talks "ease tension": Russian official PLA Daily 01 Mar 2004 -- A high-ranking Russian official said on Sunday that the second round of six-party talks held in Beijing on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear problem "have somewhat eased the tension."

  February

• Korean nuclear problem won`t be resolved this year: diplomat IRNA 29 Feb 2004 -- "The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula will not be settled this year because of political factors," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov told Itar-Tass on Sunday.
• QATAR/RUSSIA VOA 29 Feb 2004 -- Officials in the Gulf state of Qatar are calling for Russia to explain why two Qatari athletes were arrested in Moscow last week. A dispute is growing between the two countries over Qatar's detention of two Russian men suspected of involvement in the car bombing assassination of a former Chechen leader.
• RF, Iran put off deal on spent nuclear fuel for technical reasons IRNA 28 Feb 2004 -- Moscow and Tehran have so far not signed an agreement on the return of spent nuclear fuel from Iran to Russia `only for technical reasons`, Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev said.
• Georgia: Bush Urges Russia To Withdraw Its Forces RFE/RL 26 Feb 2004 -- Georgia: Bush Urges Russia To Withdraw Its Forces
• Pak-Russia anti-terrorism talks fruitful: Russian diplomat IRNA 26 Feb 2004 -- A senior Russian diplomat here on Thursday said Pakistan and Russian officials held "fruitful" discussions on the cooperation against terrorism this week.
• Russia vows to continue nuclear cooperation with Iran PLA Daily 26 Feb 2004 -- Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko Wednesday reiterated Russia's promise to continue cooperating with Iran in the field of nuclear energy.
• RUSSIA / QATAR VOA 26 Feb 2004 -- Russia has protested the arrest of two of its security service agents in the Persian Gulf state of Qatar. The men were detained for allegedly killing a former president of the breakaway region of Chechnya two-weeks ago.
• QATAR/CHECHNYA VOA 26 Feb 2004 -- The Gulf state of Qatar has charged two Russian men with murder in the assassination of a former Chechen leader two-weeks ago.
• Russia supports Iran`s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy IRNA 25 Feb 2004 -- Russia supports Iran`s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy, and intends to continue cooperation with it in this field, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko stated on Wednesday.
• Pakistan, Russia set to boost defense ties IRNA 25 Feb 2004 -- Pakistan said on Wednesday it is set to reinvigorate relations with Russia and expand bilateral relations in all fields particularly defense and communications.
• China, Russia urge all sides to show flexibility and sincerity in six-party talks PLA Daily 24 Feb 2004 -- Chinese and Russian officials here Monday urged all sides of the six-party talks "to show flexibility and sincerity" and "avoid confrontations" when holding discussions on concrete problems.
• Russian, US, Japanese delegations arrive for six-party talks PLA Daily 24 Feb 2004 -- Russian, US and Japanese delegations successively arrived in Beijing Monday to attend the forthcoming six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue.
• Russia to play active role at upcoming six-party talks on DPRK PLA Daily 23 Feb 2004 -- Russia intends to play an active role in the six-party talks to be held soon in Beijing on the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a senior official of the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
• Russia expects final document on DPRK nuclear issue at six-party talks PLA Daily 23 Feb 2004 -- Russia hopes that the imminent second round of six-party talks on nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will produce a draft final document formulating the key demands of the parties concerned, a high-ranking official said Sunday.
• Putin urges enhancement of Russian army's combat capability PLA Daily 23 Feb 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday stressed the need to improve the Russian army's combat capability to ensure national security.
• Moscow-Tehran atomic energy cooperation positive: Asefi IRNA 22 Feb 2004 -- Atomic energy cooperation between Moscow and Teheran is positive, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said at a Sunday press conference.
• Putin vows to build missile defense system with new strategic weapons PLA Daily 19 Feb 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that his country may begin building its own missile defense system and the military will be equipped with new strategic weapons.
• Russia's military exercise fires four missiles, one failed PLA Daily 19 Feb 2004 -- Russia launched four missiles Wednesday as part of its ongoing military exercise, but one of them was self-destructed after veering off course.
• Russia: War Games Misfire, But Public Officials, State Media So Far Largely Silent RFE/RL 18 Feb 2004 -- Military war games designed to highlight Russia's ballistic missile capability have turned into a major embarrassment. Yesterday, two submarine-fired intercontinental missiles failed to launch, as Russian President Vladimir Putin looked on. Today, another missile self-destructed as it veered off course shortly after being fired. Accounts of the mishaps are filtering into the Russian press and are once again raising questions about the state of the Russian military. The authorities, following past practice, are so far keeping silent.
• Putin inspects Russia's naval exercise PLA Daily 18 Feb 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday went out to the Barents Sea aboard a nuclear submarine to inspect an ongoing naval exercise, which is said to be the largest of its kind since the Soviet era.
• Russia: Are War Games Meant To Send A Message, Or Simply To Flex Aging Equipment? RFE/RL 17 Feb 2004 -- The Russian military has launched war games billed as the largest military exercise since Soviet times. The drills even involve the test firing of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Is this a case of pre-election fireworks or an important strategic maneuver?
• RUSSIA/MILITARY VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is observing major military exercises that are to include the test-firing of ballistic missiles. Russian officials say the exercises are aimed at testing Russia's military readiness, but some analysts suggest they are a public relations move before the March presidential election.
• Russia defies US pressures to halt cooperation with Iran IRNA 17 Feb 2004 -- Russia will never yield to US pressures to stop nuclear cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran, said a Russian atomic energy official here Tuesday.
• Russia stresses continuation of nuclear cooperation with Iran IRNA 17 Feb 2004 -- Russian minister of atomic energy reiterated here Tuesday Moscow`s intention to continue nuclear cooperation with Tehran.
• Delay of atomic energy minister`s visit to Iran purely technical IRNA 14 Feb 204 -- The decision to postpone the Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev`s visit to Iran has no political background and the reasons for the decision are purely technical.
• RUSSIA/IRAN VOA 13 Feb 2004 -- The Russian minister in charge of atomic energy says he believes outstanding issues regarding the transfer of nuclear fuel to Iran starting next year can be settled soon. The minister has postponed a trip to Iran to sign an agreement, but, according to the Itar-Tass news agency, the decision was not political.
• QATAR/BLAST VOA 13 Feb 2004 -- A former Chechen leader who has been linked to the al-Qaida terror network was killed Friday in a car explosion in the Gulf state of Qatar.
• Russia to launch nuclear deterrence exercise: Putin PLA Daily 13 Feb 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia will hold a large-scale exercise for its nuclear deterrence forces soon.
• Russian military plane crashes, no casualties PLA Daily 13 Feb 2004 -- A Russian Su-24 warplane crashed inthe country's Far East region Thursday morning, but the two pilotssurvived and no casualties on the ground was reported, Interfax news agency reported.
• Russia seeking acceptable solution on WW2 peace treaty with Japan:diplomat PLA Daily 12 Feb 2004 -- A senior Russian diplomat said on Wednesday that his country would continue searching for an "acceptable" solution to the still outstanding World War II peace treaty with Japan.
• Iran, Russia study nuclear cooperation IRNA 12 Feb 2004 -- The Russian Federation Minister of Nuclear Energy Alexander Rumyantsev and Iran`s Ambassador to Moscow Gholamreza Shafei here Wednesday reviewed cooperation on peaceful use of nuclear energy.
• Russia: Security Services Looking For Broader Powers In Wake Of Subway Bombing RFE/RL 11 Feb 2004 -- In the wake of last week's bombing on the Moscow subway, which killed at least 39 people, Russian security services are demanding broader powers and harsher punishments to more effectively fight terrorism. They point to the controversial USA Patriot Act of 2001 as an example of the type of national security reforms they, too, are seeking.
• RUSSIA / US VOA 11 Feb 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is urging President Bush to step up joint efforts in the fight against terrorism, which he has called the plague of the 21st Century.
• Russia holds strategic military exercises PLA Daily 11 Feb 2004 -- The Russian armed forces are conducting strategic military exercises, First Deputy Chief of Staff Col. Gen. Yury Baluyevsky said Tuesday.
• Russia: Moscow Says CFE Treaty May Be Outdated RFE/RL 09 Feb 2004 -- Russia told an international conference on 7 February it doubts the value of the 1989 treaty on limiting the size of conventional weapons in Europe.
• RUSSIA BLAST VOA 09 Feb 2004 -- Residents of Moscow observed a day of mourning for the victims of last week's deadly subway bombing that killed 39 people and wounded well over 100.
• UN/CHERNOBYL DISASTER VOA 08 Feb 2004 -- senior United Nations official says millions of victims of Chernobyl, the world's biggest peacetime nuclear disaster, remain forgotten and neglected. Radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Ukraine, which exploded on April 26, 1986, contaminated vast areas of Belarus, Ukraine and Russia.
• RUSSIA/SUBWAY BLAST VOA 08 Feb 2004 -- Russia's security service says it still has no leads in the Moscow subway bombing on Friday that killed 39 people and wounded more than 100. Security continues to be tightened around the city
• RUSSIA / BOMB VOA 07 Feb 2004 -- Police in Moscow are searching for clues in the apparent suicide bombing of a crowded subway train. Thirty-nine people were killed in the blast.
• RUSSIA/AZERBAIJAN VOA 07 Feb 2004 -- The new president of Azerbaijan says his three-day visit to Moscow has allowed him to strengthen ties and reach trade agreements with Russia. Ilkham Aliyev met with President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials during his stay.
• Russia: Moscow Subway Blast Kills At Least 39, But Circumstances Remain Unclear RFE/RL 06 Feb 2004 -- An explosion in the Moscow subway today killed at least 39 people and injured more than 100 others. Russian officials say the blast was a terrorist attack, apparently caused by a bomb. But investigators say the explosion could also have been accidental. The blast is the latest in a series of attacks in the Russian capital that have been blamed on Chechen rebels and is raising anew the issue of safety on Moscow's public transportation system.
• At Least 39 Killed In Moscow Metro Blast RFE/RL 06 Feb 2004 -- An explosion on the Moscow metro during the morning rush hour has killed at least 39 people and injured more than 100 others.
• MOSCOW BLAST VOA 06 Feb 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Chechen separatists of blowing up a Moscow underground commuter train Friday morning, killing at least 39 people and injuring more than 100 others. The separatist leader's spokesman has denied the charge.
• RUSSIA BLAST VOA 05 Feb 2004 -- Two people are dead following another explosion in the southern Russian city of Vladikavkaz, near Chechnya.
• RUSSIA / AZERBAIJAN VOA 05 Feb 2004 -- Azerbaijan's newly elected president, Ilkam Aliyev, is visiting Moscow for three days of talks ranging from problems in the Nagorno-Karabakh region to trade.
• Russia expects no breakthrough in upcoming DPRK nuclear talks PLA Daily 04 Feb 2004 -- A senior Russian official said Tuesday that Russia does not expect any breakthrough at the new round of six-party talks this month over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nu clear issue.
• Russia hints shorter term for pullout of troops from Georgia PLA Daily 03 Feb 2004 -- A senior official from Russia's Defense Ministry said Monday that it is possible to withdraw Russian military bases from Georgia in nine years, shorter than the 11 years that Moscow has insisted.
• Russia, Spain to hold first joint maneuvers in 2004 PLA Daily 03 Feb 2004 -- Russia and Spain plan to hold their first joint military exercise this year, Spanish Defense Minister Federico Trillo said in an interview published by Russian newspaper Izvestia on Monday.
• RUSSIA KOREA VOA 03 Feb 2004 -- Russia's lead official on talks with North Korea says he does not expect any breakthroughs in a new round of six-nation talks this month aimed at ending the standoff over North Korea's nuclear program.
• Iran, Russia don`t disagree in atomic energy cooperation IRNA 01 Feb 2004 -- Iran and Russia do not have major differences in the atomic energy cooperation, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Hamid Reza Asefi said on Sunday, referring to the forthcoming visit of Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev to Teheran.

  January

• Russian nuclear exports up in 2003 PLA Daily 30 Jan 2004 -- Russia's exports of nuclear products increased by 400 million US dollars to hit three billion US dollars in 2003, Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev said Thursday.
• Russian official: Moscow`s stands close to Washington`s on Iran`s nuclear programs IRNA 30 Jan 2004 -- A Russian official told Russia`s Interfax News Agency on condition of anonymity on Friday that the Russian Federation`s stands on Iran`s nuclear programs are getting close to Washington`s.
• Russian minister says Iran-Russia cooperation transparent IRNA 30 Jan 2004 -- Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev said on Thursday that the nuclear cooperation between Iran and Russia are quite transparent while adding that both counties are well determined to go ahead with the nuclear cooperation.
• Moscow, Seoul call for early multilateral talks over DPRK's nuclear issue PLA Daily 29 Jan 2004 -- Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and his South Korean counterpart Ban Ki-moon called on Wednesday for the earliest holding of a new round of six-party talks on the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
• Powell reiterates US call on Russia to pull bases out of Georgia PLA Daily 29 Jan 2004 -- Visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell reaffirmed a US call on Tuesday for Russia's withdrawal of forces from the former Soviet Caucasus republic of Georgia.
• Russia to resume talks with Georgia on military bases PLA Daily 29 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov promised Wednesday that Moscow would resume talks with Tbilisi on the withdrawal of its military bases in Georgia.
• US, Russia Discuss Halting Spread of WMDs RFE/RL 29 Jan 2004 -- The Undersecretary of State John Bolton has begun talks in Moscow aimed at convincing Russia to sign onto the U.S. initiative on halting the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
• RUSSIA / POWELL VOA 26 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell say the U-S-Russian relationship remains strong, despite some disagreements. The two leaders held broad discussions Monday on a host of issues in the bilateral relationship, as well as key international issues.
• RUSSIA / FRANCE VOA 23 Jan 2004 -- France's foreign minister startled his Russian hosts during a speech in Moscow on Friday in which he said the ongoing conflict in Chechnya can end only through political dialogue. The comments came near the end of his two-day visit to Russia.
• RUSSIA/CHECHNYA VOA 22 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed his envoy for human rights in Chechnya, turning over the task of overseeing the issue to Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov. The move is sparking renewed concern about the potential for ongoing violations in the separatist region.
• UN Official 'Concerned' By Moscow's Plans For Chechens RFE/RL 21 Jan 2004 -- The UN has issued a statement in Geneva expressing concern about Russia's planned closure of camps in Ingushetia housing thousands of refugees from the Chechen war.
• Russia/India: Both Sides Happy As Defense Deal Is Signed RFE/RL 20 Jan 2004 -- Moscow and New Delhi today signed a $1.6 billion deal finalizing India's purchase of a refurbished Russian aircraft carrier, fighter jets, and helicopters. Observers say it's a sweet agreement for both sides, allowing Russia to bolster its sagging arms industry and India its regional strategic capacity.
• INDIA DEFENSE VOA 20 Jan 2004 -- India has signed deal to purchase an aircraft carrier and 12 fighter jets from Russia, after nearly a decade of negotiations. But the deal also comes as India strengthens ties with the United States.
• Russia: Investigation Into Death, Illnesses Of Soldiers Is Cold Comfort To Hospitalized Conscripts RFE/RL 19 Jan 2004 -- One Russian conscript recently died from pneumonia and dozens of others are hospitalized in the Russian Far East after they reportedly stood outside for hours on an airfield waiting for their plane to refuel. The case is far from exceptional, according to conscripts, their families, and human rights organizations. They say the Russian armed forces routinely fail to ensure adequate medical and health care for soldiers.
• Russian defense minister arrives on an official visit to India IRNA 19 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense minister Sergei Ivanov arrived here on a three-day official visit to India Monday evening.
• RUSSIA / INDIA VOA 19 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov is in India for three days of talks that Russian and Indian defense sources say could result in an agreement for India to purchase a Russian aircraft carrier.
• RUSSIA/SAUDI ARABIA VOA 18 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on Saudi Arabia for help in dealing with the ongoing war in mostly-Muslim Chechnya, the breakaway region located in southern Russia.
• RUSSIA/MILITARY VOA 16 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling for a high-level investigation into an outbreak of pneumonia among a group of new Russian conscripts on their first deployment. The recruits were travelling to the Russian far east and became ill after they were left to stand for hours in freezing temperatures.
• RUSSIA/MILITARY VOA 16 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling for a high-level investigation into an outbreak of pneumonia among a group of new Russian conscripts on their first deployment. The recruits became ill after they were left to stand for hours in freezing temperatures.
• US military base deployment in Eastern Europe worries Russial PLA Daily 16 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Thursday that Russia is "concerned" over the likelihood of United States military bases being deployed in Eastern Europe close to Russian territory.
• EU hopes Russia to withdraw bases from Georgia PLA Daily 16 Jan 2004 -- The European Union high representative for common foreign and security policy Javier Solana called on Russia to withdraw its military bases from Georgia in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Thursday, Russian news agencies reported.
• Caucasus: Russia May Be Stalling Any Withdrawal From Georgian Bases RFE/RL 15 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov yesterday reiterated that Moscow has no intention of speeding up the process of withdrawing its forces from its two remaining bases in Georgia. His statements follow indications that the U.S. would consider partial financing of the withdrawal. Experts agree that Russia is trying to stall more than it is trying to haggle over terms.
• Date for six-party talks uncertain: Russian official PLA Daily 15 Jan 2004 -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said Wednesday that it is still too early to decide a date for a second round of six-party talks on Korean nuclear issue.
• Russia insists on accord with Georgia before troops pullout PLA Daily 15 Jan 2004 -- Russia said Wednesday that it will offer funds for the pullout of its military bases from Georgia, but an agreement must be reached between the two sides before that.
• Georgia hopes for compromise with Russia on troop withdrawal PLA Daily 15 Jan 2004 -- Georgian Foreign Minister Tedo Japaridze said Wednesday that Tbilisi hopes to reach a compromise with Moscow on the pullout of Russian troops from Georgia, Interfax news agency reported.
• Defense Minister Says Russia Will Not Hurry Withdrawal From Georgia RFE/RL 14 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov today said Russia will not hurry to pull its forces out of Georgia.
• Russia welcomes DPRK readiness for freezing nuclear activities PLA Daily 14 Jan 2004 -- Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov welcomed on Tuesday the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) readiness to freeze its nuclear activities and urged the United States to respond "constructively."
• RUSSIA / GEORGIA VOA 14 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has ruled out speedy withdrawal of Russia soldiers from Georgia, saying the pullout would have to be carried out under a formal treaty.
• Georgia: Washington Willing To Finance Russian Troop Withdrawal RE/RL 13 Jan 2004 -- A top U.S. official today said that Washington is prepared to finance the withdrawal of Russian troops remaining in the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
• Russian official dismisses reports of arms deliveries to Iraq PLA Daily 13 Jan 2004 -- A Russian government official on Monday refuted recent reports by American and British media claiming Russia had secretly exported military equipment to Iraq.
• U.S. Still Concerned over Alleged Russian Equipment Sales to Iraq Washington File 12 Jan 2004 -- State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said the United States continues to have an "ongoing discussion" with Russia over alleged Russian sales of proscribed military equipment to Iraq.
• RUSSIA / KAZAKHSTAN VOA 10 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is in neighboring Kazakhstan, where he and his Kazakh counterpart agreed to extend a rental agreement for the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The two leaders are also discussing terrorism.
• Kazakhstan: Putin Visit To Focus On Baikonur, CIS, Oil Resources RFE/RL 09 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin begins a two-day visit to Kazakhstan today. Several bilateral agreements are to be signed during his visit, including two extending and specifying the terms for Russia's continued use of the Baikonur cosmodrome.
• Russia praises DPRK's willingness to freeze nuclear program PLA Daily 09 Jan 2004 -- A senior Russian official said Thursday Pyongyang's latest statement of freezing its nuclear program is "an important and serious step, which should not be left without response," Itar-Tass news agency reported.
• India, Russia clear decks for sale of aircraft carrier PLA Daily 05 Jan 2004 -- After weeks of hard negotiations, India has cleared the acquisition of the 45,000-ton aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov from Russia, according to the Press Trustof India (PTI).
• China, Russia favor early second round of DPRK talks PLA Daily 06 Jan 2004 -- Both China and Russia favor a soonest possible holding of the second round of six-party talks on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear program, the Chinese embassy here said Monday.