Russia and China took another step to bury the distrust of the Cold War on Wednesday and build on a blossoming military relationship by agreeing to set up a new body to consult more closely on security issues. Russian officials were generally reticent over the visit to Moscow by Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan, a senior foreign policy official, saying China had asked for minimum publicity. But Tang told President Vladimir Putin a new security "mechanism" involving Russia would be a first for Beijing. "This is the first time that China is creating a mechanism of national security consultations with another country," Tang told Putin. "We have close positions on the international situation ... as well as on issues related to maintaining peace and helping global development ... For China, Russia is the main partner for strategic cooperation." The two nuclear powers have found much common ground in recent years, ending decades of Soviet-era distrust when they competed for leadership of the communist world. --Mor 2140 Local Time 1840 GMT
