TEHRAN - Russia and China expressed support for Iran’s right to nuclear energy in a joint statement issued in Moscow on Thursday, Xinhua reported.

The statement included a broad range of key international issues, including Iranian and Korean Peninsula nuclear issues, and was signed by Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Following is an excerpt of the statement:
The two sides agree that the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula could only be resolved within the framework of the six-party talks. They reiterate their willingness to collaborate closely with the other four parties to resume the six-party talks as soon as possible.
Both sides firmly believe that reducing the intensity of military activities in this region will help create the conditions for the resumption of negotiations. The two sides would continue their efforts to establish a multilateral protection mechanism for peace and security in northeast Asia.
Both sides will stick to the principle of political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, under which Iran’s rights to the peaceful use of nuclear energy would be ensured and at the same time confidence of the international community over the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program would be restored, it said.
The settlement of the issue would help Iran and the international community carry out comprehensive cooperation in various fields and strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime and international security. Both sides believe that the only correct way to solve the problem is through dialogue and negotiation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, it added