Present there on invitation were members of the delegation led by Andrei Klimov, member of the Standing Committee of the General Council of the party and vice-chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Federation Council, and Alexandr Matsegora, Russian ambassador to the DPRK.

Present there were Secretary Kim Ki Nam, Vice Department Director Ri Yong Chol and officials of the C.C., the WPK.

Kim Ki Nam said in his speech that the talks held between the two parties and the signing of the protocol would mark a new milestone in the development of relations between the WPK and the United Russia Party and an important occasion of putting spurs to the development of the DPRK-Russia friendly and cooperative relations.

He noted that the WPK would invariably preserve and develop the traditional DPRK-Russia friendly relations provided by President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il.

Andrei Klimov said that the WPK has covered a proud road of the struggle for the country's freedom, independence and development over the past seven decades.

This year, the peoples of the two countries successfully marked the year of friendship, he said, adding that a protocol on negotiations for cooperation between the two parties was signed as the result of the first high-level contact between them.