The depressed price of crude oil over the last year also helped persuade four big independent oil producers - Mexico, Norway, Oman and Russia - to amend their own free-market stance.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is crucial to persuade Russia that its political stability depends on the stability of the region as a whole, especially its neighbours?

Finally publication of the terms of the 1879 treaty persuaded Russia that further action was not in its interests and withdrew from involvement in Bulgaria, and the fear of war dissipated.

This persuaded Russia that Washington was backing Georgia's "right" to take military action.

OPEC's recent efforts to curb production and raise prices fell apart because OPEC was unable to persuade nonmembers, and Russia especially, to hold back oil from the market.

Perhaps it is this record that has persuaded Russia and China that Iran is not an innocent party with purely peaceful intent at heart?!

That leaves the United States in a position of having to persuade the allies to go along even if there is no supporting vote by the Security Council, or persuading Russia not to veto such a resolution.

Given vocal Russian opposition to new sanctions, the Americans have been trying to line up support from the other members to persuade Russia of the need to punish the Serbs.

To persuade Russia of the benefits of a political solution, the European Council issued a separate declaration on the situation in Chechnya and its effects on relations between the European Union and Russia.