Preparation for meeting between Russian, Chinese Prime Ministers was efficient

Preparations for the meeting between the Russian and Chinese prime ministers, made during the 6th session of the inter-governmental committee by Russian deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko and Chinese State Council member Wu Yi, were efficient and businesslike, said Russian deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov, who is in Shanghai on a visit.

The meeting between Khristenko and Wu Yi and their specific conversation have prepared a solid base for negotiations between the two prime ministers, Losyukov said. There have been no disagreements or difficult issues that need to be solved, he added.

Apart from the protocol of the 6th session of the intergovernmental committee and a joint communique on the results of the forthcoming negotiations, some agreements are also being prepared for signing during Mikhail Kasyanov's visit to China. They are mainly concerned with the banking and financial sphere, Losyukov pointed out. These are an agreement between the Russian Central Bank and the Chinese People's Bank on inter-bank payments in border trade, an agreement on the Chinese Trade and Industry Bank's credit line to Russian Vneshtorgbank and an agreement on cooperation between the Russian Vneshekonombank and the Chinese Everbright bank.

During the preparations for the 7th regular meeting of the prime ministers, possibilities of supplying Russian machinery equipment to China were also on the agenda. China has a certain interest in purchasing Russian products, and the Russian party would like this kind of products to be delivered to the Chinese market in larger volumes, Losyukov said.

When touching upon the Russian prime minister's visit to China that starts on Wednesday, Losyukov said that the meeting between Kasyanov and the Chinese State Council's prime minister Zhu Rongji would be mainly devoted to trade and economic cooperation. Yet, we do not exclude a possibility of discussing some international issues, such as the state of antiterrorist struggle and the situation around Iraq, he added. But these issues will be of less importance, while trade and economic cooperation remains the centerpiece of the talks.