Moscow/Tbilisi  - The European Union observer mission was preparing to begin its operations in Georgia in the face of a Russian decision not to permit them to operate in Georgia's renegade provinces Abkhazia and South Ossetia despite an August promise seemingly allowing it.

"We are assuming that the Russians too will hold to the agreements," said a spokeswoman for the mission Tuesday in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.

The EU observer mission is formally to begin its work on Wednesday.

Paris - The French government will undertake measures to ensure that banks continue to pump money into the economy despite the continuing crisis in the finance sector, President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said Tuesday.

The announcement was made after an emergency meeting between Sarkozy and the heads of French banks and insurance companies at the Elysee Palace in Paris, and after the French government joined Belgium and Luxembourg in bailing out the French-Belgian financial services group Dexia.

Paris, Sept. 30: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh received a red carpet welcome here on Monday evening, hours after participating in a significant Ninth India-European Summit in the port town of Marseilles. He was received by French Immigration, Integration and National Identity Minister Brice Hortefeux.

The final leg of Singh's 10-day visit to the United States and France will see him holding talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy today on various issues of mutual importance to the two countries.

Washington  - Presidential candidate Barack Obama called Monday on congressional Democrats and Republicans to work together to complete legislation to rescue the financial industry to prevent "an economic catastrophe."

Obama's campaign released a statement hours after the House of Representatives voted 228-205 against President George W Bush's 700- billion-dollar bailout package.

The failure in the lower House showed why US voters are "disgusted" with the leadership in Washington, campaign spokesman Bill Burton said.

Washington  - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko played down the political rift in his country's Parliament, saying during a meeting with US President George W Bush that Ukrainian democracy is strong enough to survive the uncertainty.

"We also discussed the domestic political situation in Ukraine, which in my opinion is far away from being tragic, and not dramatic," Yushchenko said at the White House.

"Ukraine has enough democratic resources and tools to give sufficient response to any crisis that may occur in the Ukrainian Parliament."

Washington  - US President George W Bush said Monday he was hopeful that Lithuanians will be able to travel to the United States as early as next month without getting a visa.

"You can take back to your people a very positive report about this very important initiative," Bush said during a meeting with Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus. "And you and your government deserve a lot of credit for it."