Russia has called for political transition in Syria but reiterated that Syrians themselves should decide about the future of their country without outside interference.

• January 12, 2013

Russian and U.S. diplomats plan to hold a meeting with the international mediator for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, on Friday in Geneva, Interfax news agency cited Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying on Wednesday.

• January 11, 2013

Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry has published a commentary on future cooperation with Russia at the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Thursday.

• January 10, 2013

Kyrgyzstan's economy depends on the situation in Russia, Kazakhstan and China, the Kyrgyz National Bank's report on 'Stability of the financial sector of the Kyrgyz Republic', published on its website said, KyrTAG reported today.

• January 9, 2013

The lower house of Tajikistan’s parliament ratified an agreement on the country’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Wednesday, January 9 concluding Dushanbe's drive to join the trade body, RIA Novosti reported.

• January 9, 2013

The National Assembly (NA) of Viet Nam pays great attention to the co-operation the country shares with Russia in the energy sector and is constantly working to create favourable conditions for Russian enterprises to increase their investment in Viet Nam , according to NA Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

• January 8, 2013

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich said his country planned to sign an Association Agreement with the EU in the course of 2013. But he also stressed that the country would develop its relations with Russia’s Custom’s Union in areas which do not contradict other “international obligations”.

• January 4, 2013

Thanks to relative political stability and strong oil and gas prices, Russia's retail turnover more than quintupled from 2001 to 2011 and now exceeds US$600 billion annually. Data suggest that this sector is entering the steepest part of its growth curve. How will Russia's retailers face the challenges of this critical period of expansion? Will foreign retailers manage to get a slice of this growing pie?

• January 3, 2013