PYONGYANG, August 4 (Itar-Tass) — North Korean leader Kim Yong-il’s visit to Russia in 2001 became a landmark event, the Rodong Sinmun writes on Thursday.
The leading North Korean newspapers have published articles devoted to the 10th anniversary of a visit to Russia by Kim Yong-il and the signing of the Moscow Declaration.
According to the Rodong Sinmun, “this trip, which was made in 2001, was a landmark event. The visit opened a new page in relations between the two states.” “The Moscow Declaration, which met the interests of the peoples of Russia and North Korea, made a big contribution to strengthening peace and security in Asia and other countries.”
Now, ten years later, both countries “are taking practical steps towards stepping up bilateral cooperation”, the newspaper writes.
The Minju Choson says the Moscow Declaration confirmed “both countries’ commitment to developing political, economic, scientific and technical cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual respect and the non-interference into internal affairs of each other”.
The Moscow Declaration was signed in the Kremlin on August 4, 2001 by Vladimir Putin, who was president in 2001, and North Korean leader Kim Yong-il. Both parties took obligations “to contribute to forming a new fair world order based on the supremacy of law, the principles of equality, mutual respect, mutually advantageous cooperation for the benefit of global stability, as well as to ensuring reliable security of each member of the international community in the political, economic, social, cultural, information and other spheres”.