Russian authorities reiterated, on January 22, pledges of increased economic engagement with Central Asia. The foreign ministry advocated plans to develop economic and trade ties with the region, while other officials urged the creation of a Russian state corporation that would encourage economic development there (Regnum, January 22).

• February 9, 2013

Ukraine doesn't see why it should pay a $7 billion bill from Russia's OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS), Ukraine's energy and coal industry minister said Thursday, Interfax reported.

• February 7, 2013

At the meeting of Ministers for European Affairs in Brussels on 4 February, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Vytautas Leskevicius called on the EU heads of state who will be attending the European Council meeting at the end of this week, to send a clear message about the aim to sign the Association Agreement with Ukraine, including a free trade area, reported BC Lithuania's MFA.

• February 6, 2013

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the alliance has no intention of stepping back from its plans to establish a missile-defense system in Europe.

• February 6, 2013

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara has said that the signing of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union this year is quite realistic.

• February 4, 2013

Azerbaijani Minister of Culture and Tourism Ebulfaz Garayev met with Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization Taleb Rifai.

• February 4, 2013

If Moscow goes to the Stockholm court to settle its $7-billion claim to Ukraine for the gas Kyiv failed to buy under the existing contract, Ukraine may set up a counter-claim for the gas Moscow failed to pump via Ukraine, Mykhailo Honchar, energy expert , and Maksim Alinov, legal expert

• February 2, 2013

Turkmen Balkan freighter with capacity of 3.500 tons renovated in the Volga-Caspian shipyard in Astrakhan was returned to Turkmenbashi port, Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper said.

• February 2, 2013