Paris, Oct. 10 : International nuclear inspectors are investigating whether a Russian scientist helped Iran conduct complex experiments on how to detonate a nuclear weapon, The Telegraph quotes European and American officials, as saying.

Brussels  - The European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, confirmed Friday that Russia has withdrawn its troops from Georgia's buffer zones, in accordance with an international deal.

"I am happy to announce that EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) patrols have confirmed that Russian armed forces have completed their planned withdrawal from the areas adjacent to Abkhazia and South Ossetia," Solana said in a statement.

Brussels - The European Union's foreign ministers face tough talks on Monday when they meet in Luxembourg to debate whether or not to push for closer ties with Russia and Belarus.

Luxembourg - Europe has tightened regulations for the transport of dangerous materials by sea, according to a new EU directive adopted by the transport commissioners for the 27-state bloc on Thursday.

The document, which must be approved by the European Parliament, stipulates that vessels must be insured against third party claims. International agreements have thus far only required that vessels carrying oil or other fuels be insured against spillage.

Berlin - Germany has moved a step closer to ratifying the treaty that reshapes the European Union, with its President Horst Koehler saying through a spokesman Wednesday he has approved it but cannot sign it yet because of pending court cases.

Berlin and other major EU members have pushed ahead with their own ratification work, despite the Lisbon Treaty being stalled by Ireland, where a referendum last summer rejected it.

Koehler's Berlin office has its own legal team which reviews laws and treaties. His spokesman, Martin Kothe, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that Koehler had "passed the treaty after close study."

However he had not signed it, the act that would finalize German ratification.

Brussels - The European Union's top foreign-policy official, Javier Solana, on Wednesday hailed Russian moves to pull out of parts of Georgia.