Russia on Wednesday denied holding talks with the United States about offering Syrian President Bashar al-Assad exile as a way out of 16 months of bloodshed that has claimed more than 16,500 lives.

• July 4, 2012

Iranian and international technical experts have exchanged details on proposals to end the standoff over Tehran’s controversial nuclear program and a new meeting will be set soon, the European Union said Wednesday.

• July 4, 2012

Belarus has made "important progress" in preparing for the planned construction of a nuclear power plant, the United Nations atomic agency said after its team of international experts visited the former Soviet republic last week.

• July 2, 2012

Russia and Western powers locked horns over a peace plan for Syria on Saturday as U.N. mediator Kofi Annan warned the conflict could spread across the Middle East and beyond.

• June 30, 2012

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sought to raise pressure on Russia on Thursday ahead of a crucial meeting on the Syria crisis, saying all countries involved must back international mediator Kofi Annan's detailed plan for a political transition

• June 29, 2012

South Korea postponed on Friday the signing with Japan of an agreement to share sensitive military information in the face of anger over a pact with a former colonial ruler that critics say was negotiated behind the scenes.

• June 29, 2012

Russia is planning the evacuation of Russians who are living in Syria. While the Western powers have prevented the confectionary redelivery of three (repaired) old Soviet helicopters to Syria, the country is now filled with modern NATO weapons. After the grouchy joint press conference by Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama is the first serious information about the situation in Syria a message on vedomosti.ru.

• June 22, 2012

The Arab League demanded on Thursday that Russia stop supplying arms to Syria, as a regime onslaught of Homs and its surrounds appeared to stall a Red Cross bid to rescue trapped civilians.

• June 21, 2012