The meetings were attended by personages and members of Russian organizations.

The chairperson of the "Jongilbong" Russia-Korea Friendship Association of Ulyanovsk Region said that in July 20 years ago President Putin paid the first visit to the DPRK, a friendly neighboring country, pointing out that the cordial hospitality the president received in Pyongyang was a proof of the friendly relations between the two countries.

The chairperson of the Karelia-DPRK Friendship Association said that the meeting and talks between President Putin and Chairman Kim Jong Il were held amid worldwide interest and expectations.

He noted that the two top leaders discussed the issues of developing the centuries-long bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation as required by the new century and adopted the said declaration, adding that since the adoption many achievements have been made in boosting the relations.

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the Friendship Association with Foreign Countries of Khabarovsk Territory of Russia made public a statement on July 20 to mark the said anniversary.

Stressing the historic significance of the adoption of the joint declaration, he said that Chairman Kim Jong Il paid deep attention to consolidating the friendly relations between the two countries on the basis of the joint declaration, and visited Russia three times.

Today, the bilateral relations have further developed thanks to Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, he noted.

He expressed the belief that Russia-DPRK friendship with long-standing traditions would grow strong in the interests of the two peoples in the future, too.