Foreign Ministry Slams U.S.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov accused the United States on Tuesday of stepping up plans to install an anti-missile system in Europe, marking a sharper tone from Moscow after a series of conciliatory comments.

"The U.S. has not revised its plans. I do not think that this could happen. On the contrary, we can see that work in missile defense has intensified, including in the NATO format," Ryabkov said, Interfax reported.(Reuters)

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Russia to Skip NATO Talks

BRUSSELS -- Russia told NATO on Tuesday that it would not take part in a meeting with alliance military commanders next month but would stick to plans to resume formal political ties, a Russian diplomat and a NATO spokeswoman said.

"We postponed the meeting of chiefs of staff," a Russian diplomat said, referring to a planned May 7 meeting between the 28 NATO states and Russia. "We explained we should restart political dialogue before military cooperation." (Reuters)

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St. Petersburg Rector Killed

The rector of St. Petersburg's State Polar Academy was stabbed to death Tuesday evening as she got into her car in the northern city, Interfax reported.

The rector, Kermen Basangova, was stabbed by an unidentified attacker about 6:30 p.m. and died shortly afterward in the hospital, the report said, citing law enforcement sources. Police have opened an investigation.(MT)

For the Record

Kazakhstan refused Tuesday to take part in NATO-organized war games in Georgia in a show of support for Russia, which has criticized the plan. (Reuters)

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Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia briefly detained two OSCE observers on Tuesday.(Reuters)

The United States is not looking to open an alternative air base in Central Asia, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said. (Reuters)

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Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych said Tuesday that he would run for president. (Reuters)

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