However, after his meeting Olmert said he received no assurances that a deal had not occurred. "My feeling is the Russian government understands well the Israeli position and is aware of the possible influence such supplying could have on stability in the region," Olmert told reporters.

Syria is refusing to allow the IAEA to inspect its military bases as part of the agency's investigations into Damascus's nuclear program. "We would like to underline that my government is cooperating with the agency in full transparency and will follow suit all along the way," said the director of the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission. "However, this cooperation will not in any way come at the expense of exposing our military sites or causing a threat to our national security."

Iran and Pakistan have agreed to strengthen cooperation on energy projects and trade. Iran has been working on the Sahara Hydel project in Pakistan and will export electricity to the country as well. The volume of trade between the two countries has been relatively low. The partners will also open up bank branches in each other's countries.

Bolivia's Left-wing president Evo Morales said his country need not worry about the pending suspension of a trade agreement with the U.S. "We don't have to be afraid of an economic blockade by the United States against the Bolivian people," Morales said Tuesday. Relations between the U.S. and Bolivia, due to Morales' demands that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency officials leave the country, has put the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act in danger. The U.S. is Bolivia's third largest trading partner after Brazil and Argentina. Morales is a close associate of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.