The crisis in Russian gas supplies to Greece demonstrates the need to diversify sources of gas. He said on Sunday evening, the Greek Minister of Development COSTIS Hadzidakis quoted by RIA Novosti. "The crisis demonstrated the need, there is no dependence on one source to a single vendor," said Hadzidakis, who was appointed on January 7, when Russia supplies gas has been stopped. Greece is going to 80% of its gas needs of "blue fuel" from Russia. Moreover, the Greek minister said that his country is currently experiencing problems with your gas consumption.

Arab and Western countries including the U.S., Britain and France agreed on the text of UN Security Council resolution calls for immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This was stated by the Permanent Representative of the Palestinian in Al-Riyad Mansour of the United Nations, quoted by RIA Novosti. According to him, an agreement was reached during talks in the UN headquarters. It is expected that the agreed text reozlyutsiyata will be discussed during the consultations of the Security Council today.

Russian specialists are included in the international mission to monitor the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, approved by the European Commission. Its president, Jose Manuel Barroso told Russian Prime Minister Putin agreed that Kiev, told News. This was the main condition for Russia signing the deal, which, in turn, will allow Russia to resume gas transit through Ukraine.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was adamant that "Gazprom" will work with Ukraine only after signing the necessary documents. "We are interested in the transit of gas through Ukraine to resume as quickly as possible, but it should be done only after the signing of the documents," the president said after meeting with the director of "Gazprom" Aleksey Miller. Dmitry Medvedev said that Ukraine has no credibility on the left side, and Russia will not allow more lies.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso personally committed to negotiations with representatives of Russian and Ukrainian sides to resolve the gas crisis and to remove Bulgaria from the difficult situation in which it is located. He said the European Commissioner for Consumer Protection Meglena Kuneva presented the BNR. According to her, any firm in Brussels that Bulgaria should be preserved, and he expects positive talks in Brussels on forthcoming consultations at the highest political level.

"Gazprom" to abandon the previously signed Memorandum today between Ukraine and the EU, insisting in the monitoring mission, which will control the transit of Russian gas to Europe should be included Russian. It reported in April in the statements of officials of Russia, however, the absence of this information.

Ukrainian delegation headed by Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan, Ukraine will hold talks in Prague for the supply of natural gas withdrawn from the Russian giant "Gazprom". Czech Republic not only to stop the Ukrainian delegation. Its members want to visit other EU countries. Nevertheless, the Czech Republic in the first list because of its current presidency of the Union.

Cuban President Raul Castro said he was willing to negotiate directly "without intermediaries" and on an equal footing with the U. S. President-elect Barack Obama. However, swissinfo. org "gesture for gesture. We are ready to do so at any time, in which they decide, without intermediaries, directly, but he does not hurry, we're not desperate," Castro said in a television interview the day after Cuba marked the 50th anniversary of the revolution.

The majority of Icelanders support the idea of ​​negotiations on EU membership in Iceland, AFP reported citing an opinion poll conducted by the sociological institute "Kapsant". The data show that 65.5% of 650 respondents were "for" negotiations on accession to the country in the EU. 19.7% were against.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel in the Middle East crisis. In an interview with TV "Al Jazeera" Erdogan asked the Israeli leadership responsibility for the "inhuman treatment" to the people of Gaza. Erdogan threatens Israel, which is a strategic partner for many years, with Turkey in the field of armaments that the relationship between the two countries would deteriorate significantly. Overall the interview he expressed solidarity of Turkish Prime Minister in the Palestinian movement "Hamas". Erdogan has hinted that the "Hamas" in the events of recent days has lost confidence in Egypt.

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek today officially announced the list of ministers, which will be removed. From 1 January, he promised to tell the names of ministers, which will be divided, at a meeting on January 5. Today, changes have been re-ported at a later stage. Topoplanek it was clear that it is already clear which ministers will leave his post, but remove them from the steps at the request of the coalition partners.

Dmitry Medvedev signed amendments to the Russian Constitution extending the presidential term from 4 to 6 years. The amendment extended the mandate of the State Duma from four to five years. They reported the press office quoted the Kremlin ITAR-TASS reported. Recall, the upper house of Russian parliament approves extension of presidential term ten days ago. In November, the State Duma (lower house) and the Federation Council approved an amendment to the Constitution. The primary objective of the law, many people are able to return Vladimir Putin to the presidency.

The upper house of Russian parliament approves extension of presidential term from 4 to 6 years. In November, the State Duma (lower house) and the Federation Council approved a constitutional amendment, which also expands the powers of the lower house from four to five years. The primary objective of the law, many people are able to return Vladimir Putin to the presidency. The amendment will become law soon to be signed by President Dmitry Medvedev, but will come into force only after his term expired, announced BBC.

Russia is negotiating the sale of the same Washington to deploy a missile defense system in Eastern Europe. Moscow could give up a number of modernization programs raketnoyadreniya it difficult, if the next U.S. administration to abandon the deployment of military facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic. He said the commander Missile Forces, General Nikolai Solovtsov. If the Americans give up plans to build a third site, and other elements of strategic missile defense, then, of course, we will react to it.

It is important that the economic relations between Bulgaria and Turkmenistan, to keep pace with the political dialogue, President Georgi Parvanov during his visit. The head of state, who paid an official visit to Turkmenistan took part in the opening of the Turkmen-Bulgarian business forum. He said that both sides are clearly opportunities for the development of economic ties, but said that at this stage, the exchange of trade and mutual investments are too modest, even symbolically.

Belgium's King Albert II has continued consultations with political parties to resolve the crisis in the country, caused by the resignation of the government, told AFP. If the monarch decided to resign, he should call early elections. Under the constitution the monarch must now decide whether to accept the resignation. In July, Prime Minister Yves Leterme also resigned - this time because of the inability to resolve the political dispute between the French-speaking Flemish and Dutch groups in the country.

Lockerbie marks 20th anniversary of the bombing aircraft Pan Am, which killed 270 people, told AFP. Commemorative ceremonies will be in the U.S. and the UK. The terrorist bombing over the Scottish village of Lockerbie on December 21, 1988 killed 270 people. December 21, 1988, after a few minutes after passing the border between England and Scotland, on board the "Boyng 747" American Airlines "Panama" bomb.

Montenegro put his candidacy for the European Union, told the newspaper "Le Figaro". Only two years after its independence from Yugoslavia, little Montenegro, which has only 650,000 inhabitants, has put his candidacy for EU membership to President Nicolas Sarkozy. "France is one of the major countries that fought in the European union.

Czech EU presidency, which begins in January 2009, aims at deepening the relations between the EU and Western Balkans, says Milena Vitsenova, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic into European institutions. In the process of enlargement of the EU Czech Presidency set is also intended to open two new chapters in the negotiations with Turkey on membership in the union, she said.