World

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Wednesday urging Russia to withdraw its troops from Georgia under a ceasefire agreement with the Caucasus state.

The visit by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine is aimed at establishing Washington's control of these post-Soviet states, a Russian top security official said on Wednesday.

Russia may proceed with plans to sell advanced S-300 air defense systems to Iran under a secret contract believed to have been signed in 2005, a Russian analyst said on Monday.

American troops in Afghanistan will step up offensive operations this winter because insurgents are increasingly staying in the country to prepare for spring attacks.

Russia's president has said the country is ready to repair damaged relations with the United States despite Washington's support for the regime in Georgia.

Russia has not received any official notification from Georgia concerning the cutting of diplomatic ties, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

Russia believes the declaration adopted by the EU at its summit on Monday fails to recognize Georgia's role in the recent conflict over South Ossetia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

A U.S. investigation released Tuesday disputed a U.N. report that found "credible evidence" that up to 90 civilians died in a raid on a western Afghan village, saying an after-battle assessment found most of the victims were Taliban fighters.

The EU will suspend talks on a new partnership and cooperation agreement with Russia until the country pulls all its troops in Georgia back to their pre-August 7 positions, the EU Commission president said on Monday.

The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas, which arrived on Monday morning at the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol where Russia has a naval base, has refused to go ashore amid anti-NATO protests.