TODAY: EU critical of South Ossetia elections; Israeli foreign minister in Moscow; START talks underway in Geneva; court rules against Khodorkovsky appeal; journalist seeks asylum in Finland; order of parental glory ceremony

The EU has joined Georgia in claiming that the election in South Ossetia is illegal and ‘represents a setback in the search for a peaceful and lasting settlement of the situation in Georgia’.   The Telegraph analyzes the victory of the pro-Kremlin Unity party: ‘South Ossetia has gone on the United Russia path. A decisive role (in Unity’s victory) was played by their active use of the methods of United Russia’.  Russia will stick to its pledge to offer a $500 million loan to Belarus, but has warned that the Belarusian government should reduce its dependence upon loans.