Consultations of Russian and Chinese Foreign Ministries end in Beijing

The consultations of the Russian and Chinese Foreign Ministries on the issues concerning Central, East and Southeast Europe ended in the Chinese capital. The consultations were held at a level of deputy foreign ministers of the two countries.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Razov told reporters that the participants in the consultations exchanged views on the issues concerning the NATO's expansion to the East, the development of the European Union as well as the situation in Kosovo.

With regard to all these issues the positions of Russia and China "are sufficiently close, even very close," Mr. Razov underscored. He also pointed out that though the consultations between the Russian and Chinese diplomats on European problems had been planned they were conducted for the first time.

Speaking about NATO, the Chinese side expressed the opinion that the North Atlantic bloc is a rudiment of the Cold War and that there are no reasons for its expansion and for the existence of this organisation at all. The Chinese partners spoke about their concern with regard to the perspectives of NATO's further expansion, especially towards the Trans-Caucasus and Central Asia.

Speaking about the situation in Kosovo, the participants in the consultations came to a common opinion that the recent outburst of unmotivated ethnic violence in Kosovo puts in question the correctness of the policy, which was conducted in that region. The participants in the consultations believe that it is necessary to send there international police and anti-terrorist forces, which have a special experience of fighting in such situations.

Answering the question of RIA Novosti, whether the issue of annulling the embargo on the European arms deliveries to China was discussed during the consultations, Sergei Razov said that neither the Russian side nor the Chinese side raised this issue at the consultations.

During his stay in Beijing, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister conducted negotiations with Chinese First Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo and Deputy Foreign Minister Li Huei.