Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Monday evening held talks over phone, the two presidents exchanged views on Sino-Russian relations and the Afghanistan issue.

Putin briefed Jiang on his recent visit to the United States, Jiang expressed his appreciation for the brief.

On the Afghanistan issue, Putin hopes that the United Nations (UN) can play a more positive role and expressed that the future Afghan government should have a broad base including all ethnic groups and factions in the country.

Jiang said that the most important thing at present is to encourage all circles of Afghanistan to establish a transitional administration as early as possible, and China holds that the future Afghan government should be broad-based and represent the rights and interests of all ethnic groups in Afghanistan.

China supports the resolution passed by the UN Security Council on the plan for the establishment of a transitional administration in Afghanistan, and the UN's leading role in solving the Afghanistan issue, said Jiang.

Both expressed that China and Russia will further strengthen their cooperation in anti-terrorism, holding that the first meeting of the Sino-Russian anti-terrorism working group scheduled for the end of this month in Beijing will be of significance for strengthening bilateral strategic cooperation.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Monday evening held talks over phone, the two presidents exchanged views on Sino-Russian relations and the Afghanistan issue.

Putin briefed Jiang on his recent visit to the United States, Jiang expressed his appreciation for the brief.

On the Afghanistan issue, Putin hopes that the United Nations (UN) can play a more positive role and expressed that the future Afghan government should have a broad base including all ethnic groups and factions in the country.

Jiang said that the most important thing at present is to encourage all circles of Afghanistan to establish a transitional administration as early as possible, and China holds that the future Afghan government should be broad-based and represent the rights and interests of all ethnic groups in Afghanistan.

China supports the resolution passed by the UN Security Council on the plan for the establishment of a transitional administration in Afghanistan, and the UN's leading role in solving the Afghanistan issue, said Jiang.

Both expressed that China and Russia will further strengthen their cooperation in anti-terrorism, holding that the first meeting of the Sino-Russian anti-terrorism working group scheduled for the end of this month in Beijing will be of significance for strengthening bilateral strategic cooperation.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2001)