The European Union has signed an agreement with four countries in a bid to press ahead with a gas pipeline that would reduce its reliance on Russian energy.
Azerbaijan and Egypt, which can both supply gas, and Turkey and Georgia, which are able to carry it, signed up to the Nabucco gas pipeline scheme on Friday at a meeting in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic.
In return for their commitment to supply gas to Europe, the EU offered to provide more trade and stronger transport links to the gas producers and transit countries involved.
Three key nations - Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - refused to sign the text, diplomatic sources told the AFP news agency. Al Jazeera
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NATO exercises code- named Cooperative Lancer/ Cooperative Longbow-2009 begin in Georgia
NATO exercises code- named Cooperative Lancer/ Cooperative Longbow-2009/ will begin in Georgia on Wednesday. Taking part in the exercises held in the framework of the Partnership for Peace program are nine NATO countries and four countries participating under the Partnership program.
The exercises to be held in two stages - command -staff drills and field drills, will continue until June 3. The command-staff exercises that began Wednesday include drills to improve compatibility between partner- states at the level of multinational brigades operating during crisis situations. The command-staff exercises are to continue until May 19.