* The Gazprom board approved the Russian natural gas giant's acquisition of a 75.7% stake in oil major Sibneft
* Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov denied that Russia had transferred nuclear technologies to Iran
* Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Russia, NATO and India would hold joint anti-terrorism exercises in Russia in 2006
* Uzbekistan unilaterally closed a number of checkpoints on the border with Kyrgyzstan
* The Armenian Finance and Economy Ministry said the country's foreign debt would hit $1.2 billion in late 2005
