World in brief: Optimism dashed in gas quarrel

Hopes that Russia would get natural gas flowing again to shivering Europeans vanished like a winter’s breath Tuesday when Moscow turned on the taps, then alleged hours later that Ukraine was blocking the shipments.

Ukraine in turn blamed Russia in the weeklong dispute, saying the Kremlin had demanded the Europe-bound gas go by a laborious route that would require Ukraine to cut off supplies to its own people.

European Union monitors brought in to keep tabs on gas flows in both countries weren’t saying who was at fault, but the EU was clearly angry at the crisis that has deprived millions of heat, light and even work.

“We are not entering a blame game here, but the commission reminds both parties of their responsibilities,” EU spokesman Johannes Leitenberger said.

Washington

Israel, U.S. clash over vote claim

A boast by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he convinced President George W. Bush to reverse a U.S. vote on a Gaza cease-fire at the United Nations is “just 100 percent totally completely not true,” the U.S. State Department declared Tuesday.

The rare public clash between the Bush administration and the Israeli government was sparked by a speech given by Olmert on Monday. In the address, he said Bush agreed to abstain on last week’s cease-fire resolution only after Olmert personally phoned the president minutes before the vote.

But Sean McCormack, the State Department spokesman, said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who had traveled to New York two days before the vote and was intensely involved in negotiations over the resolution’s wording, had decided to abstain long before the vote and Olmert’s views had not changed her position.