China and Russia strengthened their co-operation on regional and international issues Monday with the signing of a joint statement on the tension between India and Pakistan.
The statement called on India and Pakistan to resolve their current crisis through diplomacy.
Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov expressed their indignation over the terrorist attacks on the parliament in New Delhi in December.
The statement said that China and Russia firmly condemn any forms of terrorism.
China and Russia also expressed their appreciation for the restraint exercised by India and Pakistan, saying such restraint is the way to avoid the further escalation of tension. The statement said it is in the interests of all sides to keep the region stable.
China and Russia said they believe a resolution acceptable to both India and Pakistan will help the process of mediation after the conflict in Afghanistan, adding that China and Russia will continue to jointly work for it.
Also Monday, Chinese President Jiang Zemin met with Ivanov and expressed China's appreciation for the mutual understanding and co-operation between the two countries.
Jiang said he will maintain close contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin so as to deepen bilateral co-operation in the economic and trade field and to preserve world peace and strategic stability.
Ivanov said the highest-level dialogues between the two countries developed smoothly.
Last year, China and Russia signed a treaty on good neighbourliness and friendly co-operation so as to take bilateral relations to a higher level.
(China Daily January 8, 2002)
