Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- Today marks the 10th anniversary the publication of the DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration.

Papers of the DPRK Thursday stress that the adoption of the declaration during General Secretary Kim Jong Il's historic visit to Russia was clearly recorded in the annals of DPRK-Russia friendship.

His Russia visit in the first year of the new century was an epochal event as it opened a new phase of the bilateral friendly relations, Rodong Sinmun says in a bylined article, adding:

In the Moscow Declaration the DPRK and Russia stated that to further develop the bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation with a long history conforms with the basic interests of the two peoples and makes signal contribution to ensuring peace and security of Asia and the rest of the world. They also affirmed their will to boost the bilateral cooperation in politics, economy, military affairs, science and technology, culture and other fields.

The adoption of this declaration in the wake of the DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration in Pyongyang and the conclusion of the bilateral treaty of friendship, good neighborliness and cooperation brought a bright prospect for strengthening the bilateral friendly relations in a diversified way on the principles of complete equality, reciprocity, mutual respect and noninterference.

The relations between the two countries have developed favorably in keeping with the desire and interests of the two peoples over the past 10 years since Kim Jong Il's Russia visit and the publication of the DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration.

Practical steps are being taken to deepen cooperation and exchange between the two countries in various fields in the spirit of the declaration.

The Korean people hope that everything would go well in friendly Russia.

The DPRK-Russia relations will further develop by their joint efforts in the spirit of the declaration.

Minju Joson says in a bylined article the declaration was that on independence in the 21st century calling for building a just and peaceful new world.

The Korean people will as ever push ahead with the common cause of humankind for global independence, the paper adds.