* Russian energy giant Gazprom encouraged Ukraine to sign a contract on the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe at European prices as a priority

MOSCOW

WASHINGTON, November 29 (RIA Novost, Arkady Orlov) – U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit Ukraine during a December 5–9 European tour, the State Department has announced.

Please report on the ecological damage from the China oil refinery 80 kms. long benzene chemical spill now approaching Khabarovsk on the Amur River. What is the impact on fisheries and wildlife? Can the U.S.do anything to help? Alaska is the sister state of Khabarovsk Krai.

VLADIVOSTOK, November 29 (RIA Novosti, Anatoly Ilyukhov) – The city of Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East has sufficient water supplies to cope with the threat of a shortage after an industrial accident in neighboring China led to toxic chemicals being dumped into a tributary of the region's main river, a senior official said Tuesday.

ASTANA, November 29 (RIA Novosti) – The parliament of Kazakhstan has ratified an agreement on a uniform export-control procedure for the five member countries of the Eurasian Economic Community (Eurasec).

ASTANA, November 29 (RIA Novosti) – The parliament of Kazakhstan ratified two documents Tuesday that will provide immunity to officials working within one of the biggest regional security organizations and ensure information security in the fight against terrorism.

* A regional security forum founded in Shanghai July 2001 by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia and China

GROZNY, November 29 (RIA Novosti) – Russia's ruling party, United Russia, has maintained its substantial lead in the parliamentary elections in the North Caucasus republic of Chechnya with votes from 306 of 430 polling stations counted as of 5 a.m. GMT Tuesday, the local election commission chairman said.

YAKUTSK, November 29 (RIA Novosti, Pyotr Vasyliyev) – The level of investment in the gold mining industry in the Siberian republic of Sakha (Yakutia) could total $800 million in the near future, the republic's president said Tuesday.