Russia, China to sign political treaty

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, JULY 7. The Chinese President, Mr. Jiang Zemin, will pay on official visit to Russia from July 15 to 18, the Kremlin announced on Saturday.

The sides will discuss topical bilateral and international issues and sign important political documents, the Kremlin press service said in a terse announcement.

Russia and China are expected to sign a new basic political treaty for a period of 20 years.

According to the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, the treaty defines the principles of interaction between China and Russia as friendly countries in the main areas of cooperation: border issues, strategic interaction in global security, humanitarian spheres, as well as defence and economic cooperation.

A senior Russian diplomat said last week the Russian- Chinese treaty will have no secret clauses that could worry other countries.

He also defended Russian arms sales to China.

Everything is being done to avoid disrupting the current balance of military potentials and stability in the region, the Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Alexander Losyukov, said in an interview.

``If we did not sell weapons to China, it would buy them elsewhere.''

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Section  : International
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