MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) - As US President George W Bush began his second term in office yesterday the buzz in Russia was that the two sides must establish "new rules of the game" if they are to avert a second Cold War over spheres of global influence.

Scuffles over influence in ex-Soviet Ukraine and Georgia as well as the anticipated confirmation of Condoleezza Rice as the new US secretary of state - a Kremlinologist feared here as a hawk - have set nerves jangling in Moscow over Bush's second term.

Rice told her Senate confirmation hearing this week that she will press Russia on issues of worsening democratic reforms and the respected Izvestia daily ran a picture of the new foreign policy chief spreading her hands and fingers as if she was about to pounce on someone.

Dozens of US and Russia analysts put their heads together for a somewhat urgent talk shop yesterday to decide what to advise their respective governments.

They could agree on just a few things: The two sides may be partners in some fields but are not yet allies; and new open rules of cooperation in former Soviet republics must be drawn up if they are to avert a long-term diplomatic war.

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World