Aleksei Borodavkin, vice foreign minister of Russia and head of the Russian side to the six-party talks, and his party visited the DPRK from March 11 to 14.

During the visit the vice foreign minister of Russia paid a courtesy call on DPRK Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun, met with the first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs and the vice-minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of Russian affairs and had an in-depth exchange of views on the issue of boosting the bilateral relations, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the region, the issue of resuming the six-party talks and other matters of mutual concern.

Both sides discussed the issues of boosting the traditional friendly relations between the two countries and further reenergizing bilateral cooperation in the political, economic and other multifaceted fields this significant year marking the 10th anniversary of the publication of the historic DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration.

The Russian side expressed concern over the increasing tension on the Korean Peninsula. It stressed that the tripartite economic cooperation projects including the laying of railways, gas pipeline and a transmission line linking Russia with the north and the south of Korea have a special prospect in the aspect of actively helping improve the inter-Korean relations.

The DPRK side expressed support for the projects of the Russian side for tripartite economic cooperation and manifested its willingness to positively examine the proposal for tripartite working negotiations for their implementation if it is advanced.

The Russian side expressed its stand that the six-party talks should be resumed at an early date to settle the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula in a political and diplomatic manner. It pointed out that it is important to take constructive measures such as DPRK's moratorium on nuclear test and ballistic missile launch, access of IAEA experts to uranium enrichment facilities in the Nyongbyon area and discussion of the issue of uranium enrichment at the six-party talks.

The DPRK side expressed its stand that it can go out to the six-party talks without any precondition, it is not opposed to the discussion of the above-said issue at the six-party talks and if the talks are resumed, other issues raised by the Russian side can be also discussed and settled in the course of implementing the September 19 Joint Statement calling for the denuclearization of the whole Korean Peninsula on the principle of simultaneous action.

Beneficial were negotiations held in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.