Inter-departmental agreements expected to be signed at Russia-China summit

Some inter-departmental agreements are expected to be signed by the results of the Russian-Chinese summit. As deputy chairman of the Central Bank of Russia Viktor Melnikov told journalists, of special significance today is the agreement on cooperation in combating money laundering and terrorism financing, and also cooperation in the field of foreign currency control.

According to Melnikov, the agreement stipulates exchange of information and personnel training in these spheres. The document envisages permanent exchange of information on the requirements of national legislations, the organization of special measures for lending institutions to comply with regulatory acts.

As Melnikov noted, the efforts carried out in Russia to counter the legalization of ill-gotten funds "revealed from the very start close links between this legalization and terrorism financing." Terrorist acts committed in the past year in the USA, Russia and other countries have confirmed this connection. The fight against international terrorism has united the entire international community, including the financial community.

The signing of this agreement at the summit "stresses the seriousness of this problem and reflects the high degree of confidence, mutual understanding and cooperation" between our countries, the deputy head of the Central Bank of Russia said.

In his turn, head of the Russian Atomic Energy Ministry Alexander Rumyantsev told journalists about the strategic cooperation between Russia and China in the field of atomic energy.

He reminded them that Russia was building in China two energy units, 1,000 Kwt each, at the Tianwan atomic power station, and also the fast-neutron reactor near Beijing. According to Rumyantsev, the reactor's basic equipment has been produced by Russia while the Chinese side is responsible for the reactor's construction.