Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt met with his Afghan counterpart Dr Ranging Dafar Spanta in Stockholm Tuesday, and protested against the death sentence passed against the 23 year old Afghan journalist Perwiz Kambakhsh.

Swedish-Iraqi relations are capturing headlines here both concerning foreign assistance and refugees.

Ukraine has avoided a gas cutoff by Russia in a last-minute deal reached by the presidents of both nations for re-payment of a Ukrainian energy debt to Moscow. As VOA Moscow Correspondent Peter Fedynsky reports, the leaders also discussed a range of bilateral issues, including the controversial possibility of Ukraine joining NATO.

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Prime Minister Hun Sen and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, on Friday separately met with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on bilateral ties and cooperation.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he hopes an international consensus is near to allow countries like France to sell India peacetime nuclear technology. Mr. Sarkozy's comments came during a visit to New Delhi meant to strengthen military and political cooperation between his country and India. Anjana Pasricha reports from the Indian capital.

A top Chinese official on Thursday called for further party-to-party cooperation between China and Russia in an aim to boost the bilateral relations.

Switzerland and China Thursday praised their bilateral relations and cooperation in trade and other fields.

China and New Zealand will sign the Bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in April, the Ministry of Commerce announced in Beijing Thursday.

China and Vietnam have agreed to properly handle their dispute over the South China Sea, according to the consensus reached at the second meeting of the China-Vietnam steering committee on cooperation held on Wednesday.

Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan on Tuesday spoke highly of relations with Luxemburg, vowing to further enhance the development of bilateral ties.

Russia is again warning Ukraine that any move to join NATO will "seriously" complicate bilateral ties and force Moscow to take "appropriate action."