OREANDA-NEWS. June 17, 2009. The declaration reflects Russia’s and China’s similar positions on a broad range of international political issues.

It states, in particular, that the post-crisis international financial system should be based on the principles of equality, fairness, universality and order. It also notes the need for timely action to re-examine the distribution of quotas in the International Monetary Fund, draw up a reform plan for the World Bank, and give developing markets and countries greater voting rights and representation in international financial organisations. 

The two presidents approved the Russian-Chinese Investment Cooperation Plan and gave a high appraisal of the Russian-Chinese energy dialogue and cooperation between the two countries in the oil and gas sectors and in nuclear energy, which is seen as a priority sector. In particular, decisions were reached on the construction of a second stage at the Tianwang Nuclear Power Plant and a commercial fast neutron reactor. The declaration also paid attention to other areas of economic, science and technology, and humanitarian cooperation.

In the area of international relations, Russia and China declared that they consider international security to be indivisible and universal. Countries cannot guarantee their security at the expense of other countries’ security, including through the expansion of military-political alliances and the creation of global and regional missile defence systems, the document said.

Russia and China support the peaceful use of outer space and oppose the deployment of weapons in space.

The declaration states the great importance of cooperation in fighting terrorism in all its forms and stresses that the United Nations should play the leading and coordinating role in this work.

The document sets out Russia’s and China’s position on many regional issues concerning Central Asia, the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East.

The document stresses the need for a political and diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula and the Iranian nuclear programme.