Russia despatched a flotilla of warships to its naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus on Tuesday in an apparent show of support for President Bashar al-Assad.

• July 10, 2012

A senior Russian official said Monday that Moscow is halting its weapons sales to Syrian authorities until the situation there calms down.

• July 9, 2012

The President of Georgia received Prime Minister of Moldova Vladimir Filat. The meeting was held in an informal atmosphere in the estate of President Mikheil Saakashvili in Kvareli (Kakheti, eastern Georgia), the administration of President of Georgia said on Monday.

• July 9, 2012

New U.S., Canadian and European economic sanctions against Iran have taken effect over the last eight days, aimed at finally persuading Iran to give up its quest for nuclear weapons.

• July 9, 2012

Turkmenistan, holder of the world's fourth-largest reserves of natural gas, plans to produce a total of 448.7 billion cubic metres (bcm) of the fuel in 2012-16, state media reported on Saturday, in a rare disclosure of such data in the reclusive nation.

• July 7, 2012

Syrian forces bombarded towns in the northern province of Aleppo on Saturday, as the conflict spilled into neighbouring Lebanon and opposition representatives in France welcomed the defection of a general who was close to President Bashar al-Assad.

• July 7, 2012

Turkey's state-owned Electricity Transmission Company (TEİAS) signed an agreement with European Energy Exchange to establish energy exchange in Turkey.

• July 7, 2012

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev on the 72th birthday over phone on Friday. In the telephone conversation Putin and Nazarbayev also discussed preparation for the bilateral cooperation forum of the two countries which will take place in September, Russian presidential press-service reported.

• July 6, 2012