Russian FM calls for consensus on key issues in Bosnia.

MOSCOW, October 17 (Itar-Tass) --The Russian Foreign Ministry called
on the Bosnian sides to reach a consensus on key aspects of the
functioning of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov met the Robert Cooper,
Director General for Political and Military Affairs of the Council of the
EU, on Friday to discuss "Bosnian settlement, including in the context of
the upcoming meeting of the Council's Steering Committee on the
Implementation of the Peace Agreement on November 18-19, as well as the
partners' steps in this connection", the ministry said.
Titov noted "the importance for the Council's Steering Committee on
the Implementation of the Peace Agreement to make the due decision on the
specific schedule of reorganisation of the Office of the High
Representative into the EU Special Representative's Mission in
Bosnia-Herzegovina," the ministry said.

.US never asked Georgia for permission to deploy missile defence
elements-FM.

TBILISI, October 17 (Itar-Tass) --The United States has never asked
Georgia for permission to deploy missile defence elements in its
territory, Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze said on Friday.
Vashadze said he did not know where reports alleging that the U.S.
wanted to deploy missile defence elements in Georgia had come from.
"If the U.S. has never asked Georgia for permission to deploy missile
defence components, then Georgia has no position on this issue," the
minister told the Tbilisi-based Rustavi-2 television company.
"If such a request comes, Georgia will study the matter," Vashadze
said.

.Yanukovich vows to win in first round of presidential election.

DONETSK, October 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Opposition Party of Regions leader
Viktor Yanukovich said his principal goal at the upcoming presidential
election in Ukraine would be a victory in the first round.
Addressing a rally in the city of Primorsk, Zaporozhye region, on
Friday, Yanukovich said the incumbent authorities "have been destroying
the country and the people for five years, and our task is to win in the
first round".
He made it clear that the opposition would continue demanding that the
government fulfil its obligations.
"We will not leave them [authorities] alone either in the west of in
the east," Yanukovich said and vowed to overcome the crisis in 2010 if he
and his team come to power.
He stressed that this would require the support of people who
understand responsibility for the choice they make.
Public opinion polls indicate that the Party of Regions' candidate has
good chances to win. A Survey conducted on October 2-12 by Ukraine's most
authoritative sociological services Research & Branding Group shows that
over 30 percent of 3,119 respondents polled in 24 Ukrainian regions and
the Crimea will vote for Yanukovich, compared to slightly more than 18
percent who are ready to support Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko.
Incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko is an outsider with only 3
percent of supporters.
About 15 candidates have stated their intention to run for the
presidency, including Yushchenko, Timoshenko and Yanukovich. Parliament
speaker Vladimir Litvin does not rule his participation either.
The registration of presidential candidates for next year's election
will continue from October 19 to November 13 inclusive.
Yanukovich said he was determined to win the next presidential
election and build "a strong Ukraine".
"Ukrainians have only several more months to wait and live through. We
will gather our strength, draft a programme, tell people the truth,
restore order and build a strong country," Yanukovich said earlier.
He believes that "by voting people will put an end to the rule of
adventurers who have been fooling 47 million Ukrainians for five years"
and still "hope to deceive people and stay in power using lies, populism
and new political methods obtained in the West".
According to Yanukovich, "authorities do not work but settle scores
among themselves".
In order to rescue Ukraine out of the abyss, "we need not artistic
abilities, but a tough, professional and specific approach to the
resolution of many issues", he added.
He accused Yushchenko and Timoshenko of being "absolutely inefficient".
What they do is "awkward, spontaneous, not systemic and, as a result,
there is chaos in finances, economy and life in Ukraine," he said.
Meanwhile, the Russian community in the Crimea said it would support
Yanukovich in the elections.
"The Russian community of the Crimea expresses confidence that as
president Yanukovich will represent and protect democratic values in the
development of modern Ukraine as effectively as possible," the community
said.
It asked Yanukovich to "take measures within the shortest times time
possible in order to normalise the public and political situation" on the
peninsula.
"Remember, we will win! As a political force that carries out a
national strategy," he said at a congress of the pro-presidential Our
Ukrainian party in June.
The previous pre-term parliamentary elections were held on September
30, 2007.