Russia appreciates China's respect for graves of Soviet soldiers.

4/5 Tass 165

KHARBIN, May 4 (Itar-Tass) - Russia appreciates a respectful attitude
of the Chinese authorities to the graves of Soviet soldiers, Russian
ambassador to China Sergei Razov told Itar-Tass Tuesday. Razov headed a
delegation of the Russian diplomats who laid a wreath to a memorial to
Soviet soldiers killed in action for liberation of the northeastern China
from Japanese occupation.
"From a political point of view we are fully satisfied with the
respect paid by the Chinese side to the graves of our soldiers," the
Russian ambassador said. "It is part of China's own history," he added.
"We show gratitude the local authorities who render every possible
assistance to Russian citizens involved in restoration of the burial
sites. Very often the local authorities in China maintain graves in worthy
order on their own initiative not stipulated in any agreements.
"Cooperation launched on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement of
2007 has been going ahead successfully," the ambassador said.
The known number of burial sites of Russian and Soviet servicemen in
China is over 4,500, but the data are not final yet as more burial sites
have been added to the known statistics. At present, an updated list of
Russian burial sites in China is being drafted which is expected to be
complete by 2011, the ambassador said.
Russia has earmarked 380,000 dollars from its state budget for the
restoration of memorials in China.

-0-ere/gor


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