Russia agrees to international gas observers

Russia Saturday gave its approval to a European Union (EU) proposal for international observers to monitor Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine.An agreement to this effect was signed as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Czech Premier Mirek Topolanek - acting in his EU presidency capacity - looked on.The presence of independent observers to monitor Russian gas exports to Europe via Ukrainian pipelines was a key pre-condition set by Moscow for an end to a total embargo on such shipments, imposed last week.Topolanek had been in Moscow to push for the proposal, after gaining the approval of Ukraine's leaders to it in his talks the day before in Kiev.