http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/04/042.html
Monday, July 4, 2005. Page 5.
Hu Leaves Russia Empty-Handed
By Sonia Oxley
Reuters
Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday failed to secure major concrete promises
of more oil from Russia to fuel his booming economy, but the countries united
to issue a veiled condemnation of the United States.
Hu's visit to Moscow had been billed by commentators as a mission to agree on
access to more crude oil and gas, but as expected, Russia held off making
promises of increased volumes, signing only an agreement to study the
possibility. Russia, the world's second-biggest oil exporter, and China, the
world's fastest-growing major economy, with a huge appetite for crude oil, said
they wanted to build on their "strategic partnership."
The giant neighbors issued an eight-page joint declaration that made no mention
of energy but contained much criticism of countries that seek to throw their
weight around on the world stage, a likely reference to the United States.
"International society should rid itself of ... striving towards monopoly and
domination in international affairs," said the document, signed by Hu and
President Vladimir Putin after Kremlin talks.
"It is necessary to peacefully resolve differences and arguments, avoid one-
sided actions and not resort to the politics of diktats, the threat of force or
its use."
Despite talk of partnership and development on relations, analysts said Hu was
effectively leaving Moscow empty-handed.
"No pipeline, no access to reserves, no return on the $6 billion investment --
the Chinese have signed only face-saving things and are just shaking hands and
going home," said Steven O'Sullivan, head of research at UFG.
At the meeting, state oil firm Rosneft signed cooperation deals with Chinese
oil firm CNPC and Asia's biggest refiner, Sinopec. Interfax reported Rosneft
planned to increase annual deliveries to China to 9 million tons in 2006 from
4 million tons in 2005. The countries praised their improved relations in
recent years and said their joint declaration was important for future ties.
"This declaration has great importance in deepening the strategic cooperation
between our two countries," Hu said. The declaration called on all countries to
avoid meddling in each other's affairs. Russia received strong international
criticism last year for actively supporting one of the candidates in the
presidential election in neighboring Ukraine.
"All countries of the world should strictly observe the principles of mutual
respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual nonaggression and non-
interference in each other's internal affairs," it said.
They agreed on the need to fight terrorism and said double standards on the
issue were unacceptable. "[We should] look for ways to deprive terrorism of its
financial sources and social support, extirpate the ideology of terrorism and
extremism. In this question, double standards are intolerable," the declaration
said. Russia has often accused the West of having double standards in the war
against terrorism, such as earlier this year when a British television channel
aired an interview with Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev, Russia's most-
wanted man.
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