The Federation Council on 27 October approved the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement that seeks to restrict emissions of the gases widely believed to contribute to global warming, Russian and international media reported. The vote was 139 in favor, one opposed, and one abstention. The Duma voted to ratify the protocol on 22 October. \"Ratification first of all confirms to the world Russia\'s responsibility and predictability in resolving political problems in the global arena and gives Russia the chance to influence the development of new approaches to international economic relations,\" said Federation Council International Relations Committee Chairman Mikhail Margelov. (newsru.com)