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Anniversary of DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration Observed

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

   Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- Today marks the 5th anniversary of the DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration adopted during the historic Russia visit paid by General Secretary Kim Jong Il. Papers carry articles on this occasion.
    Rodong Sinmun in a signed article says that the signing of the declaration by Kim Jong Il and President Putin marked a historic event of great significance in steadily developing the DPRK-Russia friendship on a new higher stage in the new century.
    The declaration made it clear that stronger DPRK-Russia friendship is in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples and makes an important contribution to ensuring peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world and the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from south Korea is a most urgent issue in ensuring peace and security in the Korean Peninsula and the rest of Northeast Asia, the article says, and goes on:
    Clarified in the declaration is the principled stand of the two countries to contribute to maintaining the strategic stability in the world and building a new just world structure based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation in the new century.
    The adoption of the declaration in the wake of the signing and effectuation of the DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration and the DPRK-Russia treaty of friendship, good-neighborliness and cooperation in Pyongyang in 2000 opened a bright prospect of boosting the DPRK-Russia friendly relations in different fields on the principles of complete equality, mutual benefits, mutual respect and confidence and non-interference in other's internal affairs.
    The relations between the DPRK and Russia have developed to meet the desire and interests of the peoples of the two countries over the last five years since the publication of the DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration. These ties will grow stronger in the spirit of the declaration in the future.
    Minju Joson notes that the declaration is a historic one which officially confirmed before the international community the will and stand of the DPRK and Russia to comprehensively develop the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries in line with the common aspiration and interests of the two peoples as required by the new century and positively push forward the common cause of humankind to ensure peace and stability in Asia and the rest of the world and build a new just world.