RUSSIA, SYRIA INCREASE ENERGY COOPERATION

MOSCOW [MENL] -- Russia and Syria have increased energy cooperation, whichso far consists of $1.5 billion in oil and gas projects. Russian-Syrian Business Council chairman Dmitry Pumpyansky said threeRussian energy companies -- Itera, Stroitransgaz and Tatneft -- operate inSyria. Pumpyansky told the council that Tatneft has signed an accord withDamascus for the exploration and development of two sections of oil fieldsin Syria.