DUSHANBE: President Hu Jintao has backed Russia's right to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in the face of international pressure over recent events in Georgia.

"We want to assure (Russia) that China will firmly support it to host the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi," Hu told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev when they met in the Tajik capital before the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) summit.

Some Western politicians have said Russia has no right to host the Winter Olympics because it recognized two Georgian breakaway regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as independence states.

But Hu said China not only supported Russia's rights, but also was ready to provide organizational and security help to make the Winter Games a success.

In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry yesterday expressed "concern" over the latest development in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Spokesman Qin Gang said: "We know the complicated history and reality of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia issues

"In accordance with China's consistent and principled stance on such issues, we hope the relevant parties would resolve the issue through dialogue and consultation."

Yesterday's meeting between Hu and Medvedev was their second in less than two months. Their first meeting was on the sidelines of the outreach session of the G8 Summit in Japan on July 9.

Hu and Medvedev will attend the SCO summit in Dushanbe today that is likely to focus on economic, security and cultural cooperation in the region.

Founded in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO has China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its members, and Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran and India its observers.

Hu reached the Tajik capital on Tuesday on a state visit, and met Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon yesterday, promising to push forward the good-neighborly and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

The two leaders promised to safeguard regional peace and stability, and Hu suggested the two neighboring countries "expand cultural, educational, sports and youth exchanges" to strengthen their friendship.

"China is a good neighbor, friend and partner," Rakhmon said, vowing to strengthen cooperation with Beijing within the SCO framework in order to combat the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism.

The two presidents signed a statement on furthering good-neighborly and friendly cooperation and officiated over the inking of agreements on cooperation in politics, trade, finance and culture.

Agencies - Xinhua

(China Daily 08/28/2008 page1)