The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Georgia, which several times indicated the term "occupation" towards Georgian territories - Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region on Thursday by a majority vote, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze told journalists on Thursday evening. She said about 560 MEPs voted for the resolution, 20 were against and as many MEPs abstained.

Defense ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have summarized the work done so far and outlined plans for the future, the Defense Ministry of Kazakhstan reported. "CIS defense ministers reviewed more than 20 issues on various aspects of multilateral partnership," the Ministry said. "The meeting reviewed the results of the working bodies of the CIS Council of Defense Ministers (CDM) in 2011 and reviewed the business plan for 2012."

Russia hopes that India will become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) soon. Currently it is an observer, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks with his Indian counterpart Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna on Thursday, RIA Novosti reported. "Russia stands for the rapid settlement of the issue of transferring India's observer status to SCO full membership," Mr Lavrov said. "This position was repeatedly made. We think that progress will be reached in this issue."

An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale took place this morning in the eastern Turkish province of Mus, Anadolu Agency reported. No damage and injuries are reported. An earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale jolted Van province on Oct.23 killing more than 600 people.

Turkmenistan will invest heavily in energy projects, ensuring adherence made by the partnership commitments, said President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at a meeting with EU Special Representative for Central Asia Pierre Morel, said on Wednesday the Turkmen government. "Today, the Turkmen government is investing heavily in large-scale energy projects that serves as a guarantee for the strict observance of the undertaken obligations of partnerships," said the Turkmen leader.

The White House said on Tuesday that Turkish criticism of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had deepened the isolation of his regime Todayszaman reported. "We very much welcome the strong stance Turkey has taken," White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters traveling with President Barack Obama to Asia.

The main topic of negotiations during the European Commissioner for External Relations Catherine Ashton's visit to Georgia will be free trade with the EU, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said at the opening of new headquarters of "Bank of Georgia" on Tuesday. "We need a European market, and we should surely get to there in the shortest period of time," he said speaking to the bank staff and management.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a message on International Day of Tolerance, which will be marked on November 16. The message reads: “This is a period in which the old world is slowly but irreversibly changing and the contours of a new one are just beginning to take shape. Traditional institutions are being challenged. Budgets are being squeezed. Families are being stressed. All of this flux and churning creates enormous anxiety.

On November 16-18, the International Institute for Strategic Studies IISS will be holding a workshop entitled “UN Sanctions on Iran – Impact on the Region” in Istanbul, Turkey. The Center of the Strategic Studies under President of Azerbaijan told APA that the meeting will focus on how well the UN sanctions on Iran are being implemented and the difficulties that regional governments and commercial entities have experienced in this regard.

The aid convoy, sent to Turkey’s quake-hit province of Van by the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan according to the order of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, reached Van. APA reports quoting the Ministry’s website that 150 tents and 200 bedsteads were sent for the quake-sufferers in Van region. It is the third aid convoy sent to Turkey from Azerbaijan.