DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration

    Moscow, August 4 (KCNA) -- The Moscow declaration of the DPRK and the Russian Federation was released here today. The declaration reads:
    Comrade Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, stayed in Russia from July 26, 2001, and paid an official visit to it on August 4-5 at the invitation of his excellency V.V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation.
    The meeting and talks of the top leaders of the DPRK and Russia held in Moscow in the first year of the new century are an event of special significance in the history of the bilateral friendly relations. And they have marked a historic landmark that will be conducive to strengthening peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world.
    The top leaders of the two countries had a wide-range exchange of views on the matters related to the bilateral relationship and the international issues of mutual concern in a friendly and candid atmosphere, and have agreed as follows:
    1. The DPRK and the Russian Federation will contribute to establishing a just, new world system based on the principle of priority of law, equality, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation in order to preserve global stability in the new century and ensure reliable security of all the members of the international community in political, economic, social and cultural, information and other fields.
    Both sides recognized the importance of strengthening the major role of the United Nations in world affairs and the need to prevent any attempts detrimental to the UN Charter and the principles and norms of the international law.
    Disputes existing in the world should be settled through peaceful and political negotiations, not by confrontation.
    Recognizing that independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity should be strictly ensured in international relations, the DPRK and the Russian Federation confirm that each state has the right to have an equal degree of security.
    The two sides stressed the importance for the international community to join efforts to oppose the threat of spread of international terrorism and belligerent separatism.
    2. Taking note of the fact that the 1972 ABM treaty serves as a cornerstone of strategic stability and a basis for further reduction of strategic offensive weapons, the top leaders of the two countries expressed the resolution to make every possible contribution to strengthening the international security in the new century, too.
    The side of the DPRK affirmed that its missile program is of peaceful nature and, accordingly, poses no threat to any country that respects its sovereignty.
    The Russian side welcomed this stand of the DPRK.
    3. The two top leaders unanimously recognized that to further develop the traditional DPRK-Russia friendly and cooperative relations with deep historical roots conforms to the fundamental interests of the two peoples in the new century and is greatly conducive to ensuring peace and security of asia and the rest of the world.
    Both sides reconfirmed the historic significance of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration signed by the two top leaders on July 19, 2000, and the DPRK-Russia treaty of friendship, good-neighbourliness and cooperation signed on february 9, 2000, and agreed to expand and develop on the basis of these documents the friendly relations for peace and stability in northeast asia and the rest of the world and for prosperity and equally and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
    4. The two top leaders agreed on detailed orientation and measures to further develop the bilateral cooperation in politics, the economy, military, science and technology, culture and other fields and expressed satisfaction at a series of relevant agreements concluded.
    5. Both sides promised to give concrete shape to the agreements already reached between them on cooperation in trade and economy and settle the issues of the past related to bilateral clearance and, on this basis, carry out on a priority basis the plans for the reconstruction of the enterprises built by joint efforts, those in the field of electricity in particular, and gave their governments instructions in this regard.
    In order to carry out a series of bilateral plans, the Russian side confirmed its intention to use the method of drawing financial resources from outsiders on the basis of understanding of the Korean side.
    6. Both sides declared that the work of linking the DPRK-Russia railways has entered the full-scale stage, committing themselves to exert all necessary efforts to carry out the plan for building railways linking the north and the south of the Korean peninsula, Russia and Europe on the principle of the mutual interests recognized in the worldwide practice.
    7. The two top leaders reached a consensus of views on the fact that to support the Korean people in their efforts to settle the issue of the country's reunification independently and peacefully by themselves according to the June 15, 2000, north-south joint declaration will contribute to solving the issue of Korea's reunification and held that outsiders' obstructions to this process should not be allowed.
    The Russian side confirmed that it respects the agreements between the north and the south of Korea in this regard and firmly supports the continuation of the inter-Korean dialogue free from foreign interference and affirmed the readiness to play a constructive and responsible role in positive process on the Korean peninsula in the future, too.
    8. The DPRK explained the stand that the pullout of the U.S. forces from South Korea is a pressing issue which brooks no delay in ensuring peace and security in the Korean peninsula and northeast Asia.
    T1e Russian side expressed its understanding of this stand and stressed the need to ensure peace and stability on the Korean peninsula by non-military means.
    The Russian side welcomed the active establishment of official relations between the DPRK and a number of European states and international organizations and said it sincerely wishes successes at the talks between the DPRK and such countries as the U.S. and Japan.
    Comrade Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, expressed thanks for the cordial hospitality accorded by the russian side to him during the visit and invited his excellency V.V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation, to visit the DPRK again at a convenient time.
    The invitation was accepted with pleasure.
    Kim Jong Il Chairman of the DPRK of NDC V.V. Putin President of Russian Federation

President V.V. Putin hosts grand banquet in honour of leader Kim Jong Il

    Moscow, August 4 (KCNA) -- President V.V. Putin of the Russian Federation hosted a grand banquet in honor of Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, at the Grand Kremlin Palace this evening . Kim Jong Il was invited to the banquet.
    When Kim Jong Il entered the banquet hall guided by Putin, all the participants warmly welcomed him with enthusiastic applause.
    V.V. Putin made a speech at the banquet.
    Then Kim Jong Il made a speech.
    The banquet proceeded in an atmosphere overflowing with warm friendship.

Speech of Kim Jong Il at banquet

    Moscow, August 4 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, made a speech at the banquet given by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, this evening. He said:
    I would like to thank you President Putin for kindly inviting us to this grand banquet and making a good speech.
    We have come to visit your country when witnessing a bright prospect of Korea-Russia friendship in the new century.
    I am very pleased that my Russia visit provides me with an opportunity to see for myself your country full of patriotic enthusiasm to build a powerful Russia.
    The Russian Federation is now drawing the great attention of the international community for its positive foreign policy and energetic efforts to defend world peace and stability and establish a friendly and cooperative atmosphere in the overall international relations.
    We are well aware of your excellency's splendid leadership ability displayed in the work to build up the country's defence capability and economic potential and achieve socio-political stability and national prosperity and sincerely wish your people great success in this work.
    It is the common desire of our two peoples to glorify the Korea-Russia friendship with a long history and tradition century after century.
    The DPRK government and people will make positive efforts to strengthen and develop the Korea-Russia friendship still further in the hopeful new century, too.
    Convinced that the meeting with you President Putin here in Moscow in the first significant year of the new century will be of weighty significance in making closer traditional ties between the two governments and the two peoples, I would like to propose a toast:
    To the strengthening and development of the Korea-Russia relations of friendship, to the health of your excellency esteemed President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, to the health of all of you present here.

Speech of V.V. Putin at banquet

    Moscow, August 4 (KCNA) -- Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, made a speech at the banquet given this evening in honour of Kim JongIil, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. he said:
    Allow me to warmly and sincerely welcome you in Kremlin in Moscow, the heart of Russia. It was of symbolic significance that banquets took place here in this hall in 1984 and 1986 in welcome of President of the DPRK Kim Il Sung. The first visit paid by Kim Jong Il to our country as the leader of the DPRK, I believe, will mark a new stage in the development of the relations between the two countries and provide an opportunity to continue to develop the candid and fruitful political dialogue between us.
    There is the old Korean saying "ten years are enough to change mountains and rivers." Indeed, there is a time when the people and their life themselves change in a short period and there come a new era and priorities. This makes the long-standing and invariable traditions of good-neighborliness and multi-faceted cooperation between the two peoples more precious for us. These traditions stood the trials of the times and got stronger in the period of founding an independent state in Korea and enriched in the period of its postwar rehabilitation.
    Precisely these traditions served as a basis of the treaty of friendship, good-neighbourliness and cooperation signed between the two countries one and half years ago.
    This historic document confirmed the common desire of the peoples of Russia and the DPRK to develop the relations in the spirit of mutual respect and creative partnership and provided a main foundation for deepening collaboration between us.
    Today we have signed the Moscow declaration to confirm the common attitude of Russia and the DPRK towards pressing international issues and thus added to the treasure house of the bilateral agreement.
    Russia is ready to render cooperation in the efforts to establish a fair and safe system of international relations.
    Therefore, it is important for us that this attitude towards international issues is in line with the goal and principle of the foreign policy of the DPRK.
    One of the key issues concerning Russia-DPRK cooperation is to expand the trade and economic relations. We are convinced that the economic cooperation including cooperation involving the two countries' neighbours will not only exert strong financial effect but have a good impact on ensuring a sound situation in northeast Asia.
    I would like to stress that Russia is ready to have diverse effective cooperation with both the DPRK and the ROK. This attitude, I believe, is in full line with the interests of the Korean nation and the whole region.
    The historic meeting of the leaders of the DPRK and the ROK held in Pyongyang in summer last year is an important result of the mutual efforts and an expression of the wisdom and political responsibility of the leadership of north and South Korea. We welcome this resolute step taken on the way to reconciliation, cooperation and reunification. We sincerely hope that the uneasy yet only just decisions made in your land will help attain the goals set in the north-south joint declaration.
    We do not seek any unilateral interests while sharing with the Korean people the desire to reunify their country.
    Russia's interests in this is in accord with those of the Korean nation, and that is precisely the prosperity of all the Korean people, the guarantee of peace and reconciliation in the region and the consolidation of international security.
    We would like to regard today's meeting between us as a logical continuation of the dialogue that began in Pyongyang in summer last year. We deem it necessary to preserve the common will to deepen the spirit of mutual trust and the bilateral understanding.
    Esteemed comrade Kim Jong Il, I would like to wish you and all the citizens of the dprk happiness, success and wellbeing.
    Allow me to propose a toast:
    To the strengthening and development of the traditional friendly Russia-DPRK relations, to the longevity of Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission comrade Kim Jong Il and to the health of all Korean and russian guests present here.

U.S. urged to drop hostile policy toward DPRK

    Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- The U.S. hostile policy to stifle the DPRK is deteriorating the DPRK-U.S. relations and pushing the situation on the Korean peninsula to the brink of war, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary. It goes on:
    The situation on the Korean peninsula remains very tense due to the U.S. policy. However, the U.S. blames the DPRK for that tense situation and the threat to the regional peace and stability.
    It is even raising the issue of "cutdown of conventional weapons."
    Lurking behind this is a sinister aim. It seeks to totally disarm the DPRK and create a military vacuum in its forward area and rear. In raising such an issue unacceptable to the DPRK the U.S. seeks to use it as a pretext to provoke a war of aggression.
    The allied aggression forces are going to start a war to stifle the DPRK. Under this situation the DPRK can never weaken its armed forces although it stands for peace. Any reduction of conventional weapons by the DPRK is little short of yielding to the aggressors.
    If the U.S. sincerely wishes peace on the Korean peninsula and improved relations with it, it should drop the hostile policy to stifle the DPRK.
    It should, among other things, drop its wrong conception of considering the DPRK to be its "no. 1 enemy."
    It should also stop sabre-rattling against the DPRK.
    The tense situation on the Korean peninsula will not benefit the U.S., either.
    The U.S. is well advised to drop its hostile policy to stifle the DPRK as soon as possible, clearly aware of its strategic mistake and dangerous nature.

Concert of Koreans in U.S.

Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- A concert of Korean artists in the United States was sponsored by the culture and art sub-committee of the federation of Koreans in the United States in Manhattan, New York, on july 21 to mark the first anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration. Put on the stage were mini-Haegum solo "dear general, where are you" female solo "one mind following him," male solo "tinkle of ox-bell," shows "echo of my native village" and other songs, and songs of the enlightenment period.
At the end of the performance, the artists and audience sang together songs "see you again" and "our wish is reunification."

Council of Korean movement organizations in U.S. formed

Pyongyang, August 5 (kcna) -- Representatives of the Federation of Koreans in the United States, the American union for independence, democracy and unification and the american society of Koreans, unification movement organizations of Koreans in the United States, inaugurated the council of Korean movement organizations in the United States, a non-permanent council of solidarity, in New York on July 7. The objective of the council is to realize solidarity and cooperation among Koreans in the work for national prosperity including the struggle, education and information service for national reunification, inheritance and development of national culture and art, preservation of national character, protection of national rights of Koreans and campaign to let the American society properly know about the DPRK.