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East Asia must do better for security

By Cheng Guangjin (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-12-22 14:17

BEIJING - Nations in East Asia should cease confrontation and abandon intentions to enhance their own security at the expense of that of their neighbors, said Russia's top envoy to China on Tuesday in Beijing.

"We welcome nations in this region to jointly build an open, transparent, peaceful and safe cooperation pattern in the Asia-Pacific area," Russian Ambassador to China Sergey Razov told reporters at a news conference held by Russia's news agency RIA Novosti.

Summarizing Sino-Russian relations this year, Razov spoke highly of the two nations' cooperation on many global issues and in multilateral institutions in addition to the remarkable achievements made in bilateral trade, energy cooperation and cultural areas.

"The two nations have developed deeper coordination on many global issues, and share similar stances in many regional and international organizations," said Razov.

Russia and the United Sates will become new members of the East Asia Summit next year, the region's main annual leadership forum to discuss security, economic and other important issues.

"We suggest all nations concerned make sure they abide by the basic principles of international law, give up confrontation and the intention to enhance (their) own security at the cost of (their) neighbors," said Razov.

Regarding the latest development on the Korean Peninsula, Razov said the most dangerous moment passed when Pyongyang on Monday refrained from taking revenge at Seoul's latest live fire military exercise.

"But this doesn't mean we can take a rest or stay stand by. We will continue with diplomatic efforts and keep close contacts with all sides concerned, including China," said Razov.

Russia was the first to support China's proposed emergency meeting among the heads of the delegation to the Six-Party Talks, which were made shortly after the Nov 23 exchange of artillery fire between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

"The emergency meeting would be a better choice to keep the situation on the Korean Peninsula under control," Razov said, adding he didn't think the meetings could be held under the current situation.

The US, ROK and Japan have been cool to the proposed meeting. The nuclear disarmament talks include the DPRK, the ROK, the US, Japan, Russia and China.

In another development, Hong Kong's Phoenix TV reported on Monday, citing Russian military officials, that Russia and China will hold joint military exercises next year in Russia's far east region, code-named "Peace Mission 2011".

The mission may be joined by elite troops from their army, navy and air forces, and the two nations may hold their first joint naval exercise on the East China Sea, it said.