BBC Monitoring International Reports articles from June 2011, page 5

BBC Monitoring International Reports archives from June 2011

Somali moderates introduce new rules on weddings, ban ululating.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by privately-owned Somali Shabeelle Media Network website The Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama'a administration in Caabud Waaq, Galguduud Region [central Somalia] has issued new directives regarding the way weddings are conducted and banned...

Programme summary of GTRK Vaynakh TV "Vesti Chechnya" news 1630 gmt 28 Jun 11.
June 30, 2011... Presenter Amina Khakisheva 1. 0032 Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov has inspected reconstruction of roads in the town of Argun. Video shows Kadyrov at reconstruction site. 2. 0344 The parliament of Chechnya held a session to discuss the...

Israeli minister says flotilla activists plan to attack country's troops.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by privately-owned Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post website on 29 June [Unattributed report: "Ya'alon: Flotilla Participants Will Try To Harm Soldiers"] Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon said reports from...

Kosovo police arrest Palestinian migrants en route to western Europe.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Kosovo Albanian privately-owned newspaper Express on 27 June [Report by Jeton Musliu: "Palestinian Route to Europe"] Pristina, 26 June: They were upset and tired and they had travel bags on their shoulders and bottles of...

Agency reports on North Korea premier's visit to steel complex.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by state-run North Korean news agency KCNA website Pyongyang, 30 June: DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim [Ch'oe Yo'ng-rim] acquainted himself with the steel production at the Chollima Steel Complex on the spot on Wednesday....

Highlights from Serbian press 30 Jun 11.
June 30, 2011... Danas Online in Serbian 1. New round of Belgrade-Pristina talks scheduled for 2 July in Brussels, negotiators expected to reach agreement on freedom of movement, registries; analysts warn progress has to be made now considering that Serbia...

Philippine foreign ministry delegation arrives in North Korea.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by state-run North Korean news agency KCNA website Pyongyang, 30 June: A delegation of the Philippine Foreign Ministry led by Vice-Minister Erlinda F. Basilio arrived here by air Thursday. Source: KCNA website,...

Highlights from Albanian press 30 Jun 11.
June 30, 2011... Gazeta Shqiptare in Albanian 1. Commentary by Kico Blushi asks whether there is "potential rivalry" between Assembly Speaker Topalli and Democratic Party (PD) candidate for Tirana mayor Basha. (pp 1, 29; 1,700 words) MAPO in Albanian 2....

Uzbek economist cast doubts on Kazakhstan's GDP growth figure for 2010.
June 30, 2011... Excerpt from report by Uzbek economist S. Ubaydullayev headlined "Another economic tale of Astana" and published by Uzbek government-controlled newspaper Pravda Vostoka on 28 June Lately economic newspapers and magazines have been peppered...

Iranian speaker urges fair approach to nuclear issue.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Iranian news channel Press TV website on 30 June Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani says Tehran's nuclear programme is politically judged, urging the establishment of a unified framework devoid of...

Macedonia advises nationals against travelling to Greek cities.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Macedonian state news agency MIA ["MoFA Warns Citizens Not To Travel to Athens and Other Larger Cities in Greece" - MIA headline] Skopje, 29 June 2011 (MIA) - Due to recent developments in Greece and the...

Burma, India discuss bilateral ties.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Burmese newspaper The Myanmar Times website on 27 June [Report by Yadana Htun and Thomas Kean from "Local News" section: "India Looks To Reset Ties With Myanmar"] INDIA stands ready to share its experience of...

Russian paper looks at political options available to St Petersburg governor.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by the website of heavyweight Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta on 28 June [Report by Ivan Rodin, Mikhail Vyugin, and Daniil Borisov: "Temporary figure in place of St Petersburg governor"] The search continues for a...

Russian paper sees as "canard" report of Medvedev's meeting with N Korean leader.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by the website of heavyweight Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta on 29 June Report by Vladimir Skosyrev: "Smoke Without Fire Over Vladivostok. Medvedev Was Not Intending To Meet With Kim Jong-il" Yesterday a spokesman for...

Pakistan official says Iranian gas not affordable for domestic consumers.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by official news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Islamabad, 30 June: Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Muhammad Ejaz Chaudhry said on Thursday [30 June] domestic consumers would not be able to...

Libyan PM announces operation of "local government" following Qadhafi's lead.
June 30, 2011... The Libyan prime minister, Secretary of the General People's Committee Al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmudi, has said that "local government" in Libya began operating in Libya from 29 June, Libyan state media reported on 29-30 June. Libyan state...

Iranian province starts fibreboard factory construction.
June 30, 2011... Iran's southwestern Khuzestan Province has launched the construction of the Middle East's largest medium-density fibreboard factory, the local TV channel reported on 28 June. This factory will meet 18 per cent of the country's demand for...

"Terrorist" confesses to killing Syrian protestor "by mistake".
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by state-run Syrian news agency SANA website ["Terrorist Confesses to Killing Protestor in Lattakia and Blaming It on Security Forces" - SANA Headline] Damascus, (SANA) -Terrorist Imad Silwaya confessed on...

Russia's Putin says will have to wash properly after presidential election.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti Yekaterinburg, 30 June: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said that he will "busy himself with hygiene" after the presidential election in March 2012. During the interregional...

Calls for revolution in Arab world irresponsible - Russian foreign minister.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti Moscow, 30 June: Russia considers calls for a wave of revolutions in the Arab world to be irresponsible and running counter to common interests of humankind, Russian Foreign Minister...

No restrictions on Jordanian media under proposed law - paper.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by privately-owned Jordan Times website on 30 June ["'No Restrictions on Media Under Proposed Law'" - Jordan Times Headline] Amman (JT) -A senior official stressed that press freedoms in Jordan will remain...

Azeri soldier wounded on front-line in exclave - Defence Ministry.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by private Azerbaijani news agency Turan Baku, 30 June: A soldier of the Azerbaijani army, Sarxan Ahmadov, born in 1991, was wounded by gunfire from the Armenian side in the Sahbuz District of Naxcivan on the...

Mine blast kills six family members in Afghan south.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by private Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency Lashkargah, 30 June: A mine blast has martyred four members of one family in Marjah District of Helmand Province. A press statement released by the Helmand...

Montenegrin drugs control chief reports successes.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Montenegrin newspaper Dan on 22 June [Interview with Miodrag Lakovic, the chief of Montenegrin Drug Control Department, by Drazen Zivkovic; place and date not given: 3.5 Tons of Drugs Seized] "Between 10 and 15 crime...

Japan, China foreign ministers to meet 4 July, discuss North Korea - agency.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Japan's largest news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 30 June: Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto will visit China from Sunday [3 July] and meet his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in Beijing on Monday to exchange views on...

Iran paper criticizes UK's "colonist" government.
June 30, 2011... Text of report headlined "The distressed nightmares of the queen" published by Iranian news paper Siyasat-e Ruz on 27 June. One: The sun without horizon Britain, which is referred to with pompous titles by London's clerical establishment,...

Macedonian minister presents steps to prevent visa-free travel abuse.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Macedonian state news agency MIA ["Macedonia Has Taken Series of Measures To Prevent Visa Liberalisation Abuse, Says Jankuloska" - MIA headline] Kitzbuhel, 29 June 2011 (MIA) - The phenomenon of a mounting...

Iranian press highlights 30 Jun 11.
June 30, 2011... Default note: Iranian press highlights will not be published today as it is a national holiday in Iran. Source: Iranian press menu, in Persian 30 Jun 11 BBC Monitoring

People in Kyrgyz south against new US military base plans - Communist leader.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by corporate-owned Russian news agency Interfax Bishkek, 30 June: "People in Kyrgyzstan's [southern] Batken Region are against the appearance of a foreign military base in their region," a well-known politician and the leader...

Russian paper reports on unit equipped with new missiles.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by the website of government-owned Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta on 27 June [Unattributed report: "The prescribed strength level of the first missile regiment armed with the Yars latest missile system has been reached"]...

Sudan editorial says Al-Bashir's visit to China ''new breakthrough'' in relations.(Editorial)
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Sudanese government newspaper Sudan Vision website on 30 June Upon his arrival in Beijing President Umar Al Bashir affirmed, in statements to Chinese news agencies in coincidence with the start of the visit, his...

Taleban kill four guards of foreign forces' supply convoy in Afghan south.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by private Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency Ghazni, 30 June: The Taleban have killed four security guards of a private security firm [in Ghazni Province]. The Taleban killed four security guards of a supply...

Paper views reasons for postponement of Russian, Ukrainian presidents' meeting.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by the website of heavyweight Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta on 29 June [Report by Tatyana Ivzhenko: "Kiev does not want to make decisions to suit slogans. Relations with Russia find themselves deadlocked"] Kiev - The...

China urges "dialogue" for peace in Bahrain.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 30 June - A Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday [30 June] that China supports Bahrain's efforts to maintain its national stability and...

Dozens of criminal groups operate in Russia's North Caucasus - official.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by corporate-owned Russian news agency Interfax Pyatigorsk, 30 June: According to the police, dozens of criminal groups and organized gangs which have about 700 members are operating in the North Caucasus Federal District. ...

Taleban report attack on foreign forces' supply convoy in Afghan east.
June 30, 2011... Text of report entitled: "Three vehicles destroyed, two soldiers killed near capital of Logar Province" by Afghan Taleban Voice of Jihad website on 30 June [Taleban spokesman] Zabihollah Mojahed: An attack has been carried out by mojahedin of...

Macedonian minister urges Greece to show "will" for good-neighbourly ties.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Macedonian independent news agency Makfax ["Milososki: Enlargement Credibility Depends Also on EU" - Makfax headline] The credibility of EU enlargement does not depend on candidate-countries only, but also on...

MP urges CIS member states to fund protection of Tajik-Afghan border.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by privately-owned Tajik news agency Asia-Plus website Dushanbe, 30 June: The statement of the head of the Russian presidential administration, Sergey Naryshkin, made to the press yesterday regarding signing an agreement on...

Munitions disposal resumes at Russian military range.
June 30, 2011... Excerpt from report by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti Voronezh, 30 June: The military have resumed operations to dispose of obsolete munitions at the Pogonovo range near Voronezh, previously temporarily suspended because of torrid...

Drug peddlers get long prison terms in Tajik south.
June 30, 2011... Excerpt from report by privately-owned Tajik news agency Asia-Plus website Kulob, 30 June: The trial of a group of drug dealers consisting of seven people - six residents of Kulob and one resident of Shuroobod District - has ended in the...

Lithuanian ant-terror unit reports bomb hoax.
June 30, 2011... Excerpt from report by Lithuanian newspaper Lietuvos Rytas website on 30 June [Unattributed report: "Chief of Aras [Antiterrorism Unit] Confirms: very well-made car bomb imitation left in parking lot of Swedbank"] At 01:55 [ 23:55 GMT]....

China's second west-to-east gas pipeline starts operation.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, June 30 - Trunk line of the world's longest natural gas pipeline, or main line of China's second west-to-east natural gas pipeline, went into...

South Korea seeks to boost ties with Africa ahead of president's visit.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 30 June: South Korea vowed to continue deepening ties with African nations as it seeks to widen access to the resource-rich continent, Seoul's foreign minister said Thursday...

Russia: Kabarda-Balkaria resident said beaten, tortured by police.
June 30, 2011... Relatives and lawyer of a Kabarda-Balkaria resident, who was allegedly wounded in a police special operation on 26 June, have said that he was severely beaten and tortured by an electric shock at a police department, the Kavkazskiy Uzel website...

Ivorian court accuses pro-Gbagbo journalists of conspiring to "undermine" state.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Media Foundation for West Africa website on 29 June [Unattributed report: "Cote d' Ivoire alert: Five detained pro-Gbagbo media personnel charged with undermining the state"] Five detained journalists were on 26 June 2011...

Ethiopian delegation, senior China party official pledge to boost ties.(Conference notes)
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 30 June - A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) pledged on Thursday [30 June] to increase cooperation with the Ethiopian...

Iranian leader's website available on mobile phones - news agencies.
June 30, 2011... Iranian news agencies Fars and IRNA reported on 30 June 2011 that the website of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamene'i, was available on mobile phones. IRNA gave the following addresses to access the mobile version of the website:...

Iranian provincial official urges for fair election, merges institutions.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Iranian state-run provincial TV from Khorasan The governor-general of Khorasan Razavi Province has said that this province should be outstanding in holding a healthy election without violations and with high turnout....

Syrian TV reports on activities of "electronic army" to protect homeland.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Syrian TV on 24 June [Announcer-read report over video] They are not an official side and the only thing that guides them is their sense of responsibility towards the homeland. They work to protect it for the sake of a...

Programme summary of Iranian East Azarbayjan Province TV news 1500 gmt 29 Jun 11.
June 30, 2011... A. Headlines. B. Main news: 1. 1501 Report on a meeting held to discuss monitoring of food prices in the province ahead of Ramadan holiday. Video shows the provincial governor-general speaking at the meeting. 2. 1506 The Supreme...

Kashmir resolution necessary for regional stability - top Pakistan commander.
June 30, 2011... Text of unattributed report headlined "No stability in region sans Kashmir solution: CJCSC" published by Pakistani newspaper The News website on 30 June Islamabad: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Khalid Shamim Wynne...

Cyprus leaders meet to discuss Geneva tripartite meeting.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Greek Cypriot news agency CNA Nicosia, 30 June: President Demetris [Dimitrios] Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu discussed on Thursday about the meeting they will have on July 7 with the UN...

Turkish premier challenges opposition's boycott decision in group meeting.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Turkish newspaper Today's Zaman website on 30 June [Unattributed report: "PM to opposition: Parliament to keep working despite boycott"] Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday [30 June] challenged...

Party activist among four killed in Pakistan's Karachi - paper.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by staff correspondent headlined "PPP activist among 4 killed" published by Pakistani newspaper The News website on 30 June Karachi: Four people, including an activist of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), were killed in...

Turkish police capture "suspected terrorist".
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Turkish newspaper Today's Zaman website on 29 June ["Suspected terrorist captured on Wednesday at Edirne crossing" - Unattributed report] Police on Wednesday [29 June] captured an individual in possession of...

Over 60 per cent of Kazakh people use social networks - poll.
June 30, 2011... Excerpt from report by privately-owned Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency Almaty, 30 June: The [Russian-language online] social networking site Moy Mir [My World] is the most popular in Kazakhstan, according to the results of a survey conducted...

Indian ruling party hopes to boost ties with China's leaders.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 29 June: The Indian National Congress (INC) party and the Communist Party of China should intensify their exchanges, especially at the level of...

Israel's Netanyahu said seeks US funding for Iron Dome anti-missile system.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by privately-owned Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post website on 30 June [Report by Herb Keinon: "Netanyahu: Iron Dome system crucial to peace with Palestinians"] Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is starting to...

Columnist expands on "lack of trust" in Turkish-Israeli ties.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Turkish newspaper Star website on 28 June [Column by Sedat Laciner: "Can Turkey Trust Israel?"] It is not easy to surmount the problems in the relations between Israel and Turkey, because the parties involved assess the...

Four to six million labour migrants in Russia - senior migration official.
June 30, 2011... The migration situation in Russia is stable, there are four to six million labour migrants in the country, Konstantin Romodanovskiy, head of the Federal Migration Service (FMS), said at a news conference on 30 June, as reported by Interfax news...

Pakistan parliament panel rejects police account of foreigners' deaths - paper.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Ijaz Kakakhel headlined "NA body flays police efforts to justify killing of 5 foreigners" published by Pakistani newspaper Daily Times website on 30 June Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights on...

Iranian leader comments on regional, domestic issues in 30 June speech.
June 30, 2011... An announcer-read report on Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamene'i's speech on 30 June, delivered at a gathering of officials; ambassadors of Islamic countries; and Iranians from various walks of life on the public holiday marking the start of...

Charges of terror links against BBC journalist dropped - Tajik report.
June 30, 2011... Charges of involvement in the Hezb-e Tahrir group (which is believed to have links to Al-Qa'idah) levelled against BBC journalist Urunboy Usmonov have been dropped, the Tajik news agency Avesta reported on 30 June. "Earlier criminal...

Police arrest official of Gambia press union.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Media Foundation for West Africa website on 29 June [Unattributed report: "The Gambia Alert: Press Union Executive Detained Overnight"] Ahmed Alota, Executive Director of The Gambia Press Union (GPU) was on June 27, 2011...

Russian envoy hopeful about inter-Libyan dialogue.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by corporate-owned Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 30 June: The Russian president's special representative for Africa, Mikhail Margelov, has said that principles for an inter-Libyan dialogue will be agreed in the near...

Taiwan plans to strengthen sovereignty claim over South China Sea - official.
June 30, 2011... Text of article headlined "Gov't mulls fortifying sea claim: Yang" published by Taiwanese newspaper The China Post website on 22 June Taipei - Plans are in the works to better defend Taiwan's sovereignty claim over the South China Sea,...

Polish minister, EU commissioner meets Belarusian opposition representatives.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Polish national independent news agency PAP Warsaw, 30 June: Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fuele met in Warsaw on Thursday with...

Registration of displaced begun before operation in Pakistan tribal area - paper.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by staff correspondent headlined "Registration of IDPs starts in Kurram" published by Pakistani newspaper Dawn website on 30 June Parachinar, 29 June: The political authorities have started registration of displaced families at...

Taleban say US forces detain civilians in Afghan south.
June 30, 2011... Text of report entitled: "American forces detain six innocent civilians in Nimroz" by Afghan Taleban Voice of Jihad website on 30 June [Taleban spokesman] Qari Yusof Ahmadi: According to a report, the American soldiers raided civilian homes...

Turkmen press selection list 29 Jun 11.
June 30, 2011... Asgabat NEYTRALNYY TURKMENISTAN in Russian 29 Jun 11 (electronic version) The newspaper carries the texts of congratulatory messages sent by foreign leaders and diplomats to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow on the occasion of his 54th...

Kyrgyz parliament refuses to strip opposition MP of immunity.
June 30, 2011... Excerpt from report by privately-owned online news agency Kyrgyz Telegraph Agency (KyrTAg) Bishkek, 30 June: "The Kyrgyz parliament has rejected the prosecutor-general's request to bring criminal prosecution against MP [Kamchybek] Tashiyev...

China adopts new law to regulate agencies' administrative power.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 30 June - China's top legislature on Thursday [30 June] adopted a law on administrative mandatory practices, in a move to better regulate the...

Belarus dismisses Hungarian envoy's allegations of harassing diplomats.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by corporate-owned Russian news agency Interfax Minsk, 30 June: The Belarusian Foreign Ministry has described as groundless the accusations of exerting pressure on European diplomats voiced by the Hungarian ambassador to...

Kyrgyz president signs bill on election commissions into law.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by privately-owned online news agency Kyrgyz Telegraph Agency (KyrTAg) Bishkek, 30 June: "President Roza Otunbayeva today signed the law "On election commissions on holding elections and referenda in the Kyrgyz Republic", which...

Six uranium smugglers charged in Moldova.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Moldovan news agency Infotag Chisinau, 30 June: The Moldovan authorities have brought criminal charges against six people arrested [on 27 June] on suspicion of smuggling uranium-235. They were charged in line with two...

Two Taleban militants arrested over plot to kill Pakistan president - paper.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by Munawer Azeem headlined "Two suspected TTP men arrested" published by Pakistani newspaper Dawn website on 30 June Islamabad, 29 June: The capital police on Wednesday [29 June] claimed to have arrested two suspected activists...

Japan to dispel food safety fears after nuclear fallout at WTO meet - agency.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Japan's largest news agency Kyodo Geneva, 30 June: Japan will promote the safety of its food products at a World Trade Organization meeting Thursday [30 June] as a step toward asking other member economies to lift...

Philippines foreign affairs secretary to visit China from 7 to 9 July.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 30 June - Foreign Affairs Secretary of the Republic of the Philippines Albert Del Rosario will pay an official visit to China from 7 to 9 July,...

Bulgarian police detain Afghan migrants on Greek border.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Bulgarian national news agency BTA website, Sofia, 30 June: Border police detained eight Afghans hiding in a truck at the Koulata [Kulata] checkpoint on Bulgaria's border with Greece, the Border Police Directorate...

Turkish president receives main opposition leader over parliament crisis.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Turkish newspaper Today's Zaman website on 30 June [Unattributed report: "Gul meets main opposition to solve oath impasse, independents next in line"] President Abdullah Gul early Thursday [30 June] received...

Report on new African "land grab" by foreign investors.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Qatari government-funded aljazeera.net website on 30 June ["The New African Land Grab" - Al Jazeera net Headline] The "town" chief of the village seemed to be in a state of shock. Sitting on the front porch...

Envoy lauds Qatar-UK economic, political cooperation relations.
June 30, 2011... Text of report in English by Qatari newspaper Gulf Times website on 30 June [Report by Peter Towson: "Qatar-UK Ties Continue To Improve, Says Envoy"] Bilateral relations between the UK and Qatar continue to improve, with the UK now...

Russian minister says missile defence to become test of relations with West.
June 30, 2011... Text of report by corporate-owned Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 30 June: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov thinks that the sphere of missile defence will become a test of Russia's relations with the West. "The missile defence...

Russia's Putin says he will "wash himself" after presidential poll - TV report.
June 30, 2011... Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said that immediately after the 11 March presidential election he will "go and wash himself". Putin made the statement during a One Russia party conference in Yekaterinburg on 30 June. His remarks were...