Morning re-cap of main news, December 18
* The six-nation talks aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear program resumed in Beijing after a 13-month standoff
// Dec. 19, 2006 - 05:26 GMT
Russian, Syrian leaders to talk Middle East, cooperation in Moscow
MOSCOW, December 19 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian and Syrian leaders will focus on the Mideast peace settlement, regional security and bilateral relations during President Bashar al-Assad's visit to Moscow, which begins Tuesday, a Kremlin source said.
// Dec. 19, 2006 - 06:42 GMT
RUXX investment index set to open 0.16% down
MOSCOW, December 19 (RIA Novosti) – Russia's investment index will open Tuesday at 765.34 points, down 0.16% on the previous day's trading, following Monday evening's sessions on major world trading floors.
// Dec. 19, 2006 - 06:43 GMT
N. Korea agrees to IAEA checks, no ongoing monitoring - source
BEIJING, December 19 (RIA Novosti) – North Korea has said it will accept IAEA inspections if its demands are met, but does not want permanent monitoring of its nuclear facilities, a source said Tuesday.
// Dec. 19, 2006 - 07:38 GMT
Banks' correspondent accounts with CBR rise 3.1%
MOSCOW, December 19 (RIA Novosti) – Credit institutions' balances on correspondent accounts with the Russian Central Bank totaled 515.4 billion rubles ($19.53 billion at the current exchange rates) at the beginning of the business day, up 3.1% (15.7 billion rubles/$595 million) from Monday, the CBR said Tuesday.
// Dec. 19, 2006 - 07:59 GMT
Russia, U.S. Discuss Iran Sanctions
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov talked through telephone about the resolution to impose sanctions on Iran, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing on Monday.
// Dec. 19, 2006 - 08:03 GMT
British Detectives End Moscow Mission in Litvinenko Poisoning Case
British detectives probing the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko have wound up their investigation in Moscow and are due to leave for home on Tuesday, a British police source said on Monday.
// Dec. 19, 2006 - 08:06 GMT
N. Korea agrees to IAEA checks, no ongoing monitoring - source-1
BEIJING, December 19 (RIA Novosti) – North Korea has said it will accept International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections if its demands are met, but does not want permanent monitoring of its nuclear facilities, a source said Tuesday.
// Dec. 19, 2006 - 08:06 GMT
Belarus Faces Canadian Trade Sanctions Over Human Rights, Democracy
Canada imposed unilateral trade sanctions on Belarus on Monday to pressure it to respect human rights and democracy.
// Dec. 19, 2006 - 08:10 GMT