Pyongyang, November 3 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a letter of thanks from V. N. Ignatenko, director general of ITAR-TASS of Russia, on Tuesday for his answers given to questions put by ITAR-TASS on Oct. 13.

The letter said:

We extend heartfelt thanks to you for our honor of receiving the answers you gave to questions put by ITAR-TASS as regards your successful visit to Siberian and Far Eastern regions of the Russian Federation.

We take it as our honor that you let our news agency publish the contents of its interview with you and inform the Russian people of the most important news about your impressions of Russia visit, your appreciation of the successes made by the Russian government and people in building a powerful state, and the will of you, the great leader of the Korean people, to develop the tradition of the DPRK-Russia friendship.

The Russian readers had a growing interest in the principles of peace, friendship and goodwill of the DPRK's foreign policy.

We always remember President Kim Il Sung's aphorism "Believe in the people and rely on them and you shall always emerge victorious".

We are sure that your country will be built into a prosperous and powerful one in the near future thanks to the efforts made by you believing in the people and thinking about their future at all times.

The interview evoked a great echo among the Russian people and was made public through hundreds of mass media at home and abroad, thus turning into a great event of the public circles.

This is entirely the result of the long tradition of DPRK-Russia friendship as well as of the deep interest of the Russian government and people to strengthen the friendship and further develop the bilateral relations in political, economic, cultural, military and all other fields.

Expressing again thanks and best regards to Kim Jong Il, the director general in the letter heartily wished the Korean people peace and prosperity.