Morning re-cap of main news, October 20
* Russian President Vladimir Putin said following an informal EU summit in Finland:
// Oct. 21, 2006 - 06:11 GMT
Sakhalin II problem can be resolved by talks - Putin
LAHTI (Finland), October 21 (RIA Novosti) – The problem around the giant Sakhalin II oil and gas project on Russia's largest Far East island may be resolved through talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.
// Oct. 21, 2006 - 06:37 GMT
Putin set to hold Q&A session Oct. 25
MOSCOW, October 21 (RIA Novosti) – President Vladimir Putin will hold his fifth live televised phone-in question and answer session with the people of Russia October 25, Russian state-run TV Channel 1 said Saturday.
// Oct. 21, 2006 - 07:02 GMT
Russian Government Officials Charged With Transferring Classified Documents to TNK BP
The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has opened a criminal case against high-ranking members of the government staff, who disclosed classified information.
// Oct. 21, 2006 - 07:20 GMT
Reporters Without Borders Urge French Ministers to strip Putin of Legion of Honour
Reporters Without Borders today asked the French government to strip Russian leader Vladimir Putin of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour that President Chirac awarded him just one month ago.
// Oct. 21, 2006 - 07:22 GMT
Putin Says Russian Blockade of Georgia Aimed at Avoiding Bloodshed
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued his sternest warning to Georgia so far, telling European Union leaders that Tbilisi was risking bloodshed by seeking to regain control over breakaway regions.
// Oct. 21, 2006 - 07:34 GMT
Kremlin Says Putin Made No Rape Jokes, Blames Translation
A Kremlin spokesman has said that Vladimir Putin's recent joke about Israeli President's sexual abilities was a bad translation and not an approval of rape.
// Oct. 21, 2006 - 07:55 GMT
Russian HR Activists Alarmed by Nationalists' Plans to Hold Massive Rally in Moscow
Russia's top human rights official and activists on Friday expressed alarm about plans to repeat last year's ultranationalist march in which thousands of extremists shouting Nazi and nationalist slogans paraded in the center of Moscow .
// Oct. 21, 2006 - 07:58 GMT
Reporters Without Borders Urge French Ministers to strip Putin of Legion of Honour
Reporters Without Borders today asked the French government to strip Russian leader Vladimir Putin of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour that President Chirac awarded him just one month ago.
// Oct. 21, 2006 - 08:05 GMT
Putin Says Russian Blockade of Georgia Aimed at Avoiding Bloodshed
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued his sternest warning to Georgia so far, telling European Union leaders that Tbilisi was risking bloodshed by seeking to regain control over breakaway regions.
// Oct. 21, 2006 - 08:11 GMT