Leaders of ex-Soviet states meet without Georgia

Leaders of a loose grouping of former Soviet republics met Friday in Kyrgyzstan for their first summit since Georgia quit the Moscow-dominated organization after its war with Russia. The Commonwealth of Independent States leaders agreed to coordinate efforts to fend off the effects of the global financial crisis. They said a working group on the issue will meet in Moscow in 10 days. But the leaders made no visible progress on the main agenda item, sending a plan for long-term economic... [read full story]