Chinese President Hu Jintao met his Iranian counterpart Mahmud
Ahmadinejad Friday in Shanghai.
Hu said the Chinese government attached great importance to
developing friendly cooperative relations with Iran and wished to
expand bilateral cooperation on a continuous basis.
He proposed the two countries enhance political consultation,
intensify their friendship and continue contacts and communication
in diverse forms at all levels.
China and Iran should deepen economic cooperation, achieve
mutual benefit, maintain rapid growth in bilateral trade and
actively nurture new areas for economic cooperation, Hu told
Ahmadinejad.
Meanwhile the two countries should promote dialogue between
their different civilizations, enhance exchanges in cultural
sectors, seek mutual respect and common development, refer to each
other's experiences and encourage more friendly contacts between
the two nations, he added.
Ahmadinejad echoed Hu's proposals saying the Iranian side was
willing to intensify cooperation with China in diverse sectors
including energy, transportation, telecommunication, the power
industry and shipbuilding.
He agreed that further cultural and sports exchanges and
dialogues between their different civilizations would assist
enhance understanding between the countries.
On the Iranian nuclear issue Hu said China understood Iran's
concern over its right to the peaceful use of nuclear power, upheld
the international non-proliferation system and insisted the Iranian
nuclear issue should be settled properly through talks.
At present the critical point in the Iranian nuclear issue was
to build mutual trust between Iran and the international community,
said Hu.
A package of incentives identified by China, Russia, the United
States and Europe provided new opportunities for settlement of the
issue. The Chinese president said he hoped the Iranian side would
earnestly study and actively respond to these incentives and seek
an earlier resumption of the nuclear talks.
"The Chinese side is willing to maintain close communication
with Iran and all other parties concerned and play a constructive
role in seeking a proper solution to the Iranian nuclear issue," Hu
said.
Ahmadinejad said his country was willing to maintain peace and
stability in the region and the world at large. All the Iranian
nuclear programs were peaceful and Iran didn't need, nor did it
seek to, develop nuclear weapons, he said.
Iran was willing to solve the nuclear issue peacefully through
consultation, said the president. He added the EU's proposal was
better than before and has provided new opportunities for
resumption of talks. "We're studying the proposal and will respond
in the near future."
The two presidents spoke highly of bilateral ties 35 years after
their countries first forged diplomatic relations.
"China and Iran are both developing countries and the two
peoples have a long history of friendly exchanges," said Hu. "We
have reached wide consensus in international affairs and maintained
close consultation and coordination on UN reform and human rights
issues."
Meanwhile, the two countries had reported robust trade growth
and their economic and technological cooperation had proven
fruitful, he said.
Ahmadinejad is in Shanghai for the annual summit meeting of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization held on Thursday. Iran is an
observer of the organization that brings together China,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2006)