PUTIN FAILS TO ATTEND CHIRAC BIRTHDAY BASH- The daily "Moskovsky komsomolets" on November 30 noted an unsuccessful attempt by French President Jacques Chirac to invite Russian President Putin to celebrate Chirac's 74th birthday in Riga on November 28 after the summit. "The Washington Post" and some other Western media on November 30 described the move as a ham-fisted effort by Chirac to "upstage" NATO, U.S. President George W. Bush, and the Latvian authorities. After Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga reportedly let it be known that Putin was welcome provided his visit included a bilateral meeting with her, Putin informed Chirac that...