A Guarantee for the Development of
Friendship and Co-operation
Foreign Minister on lgor lvanov's visit to
DPRK
Compiled from the Korean Central News Agency, and
reprinted from The Pyongyang Times, February 19, Juche 89 (2000)
DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun replied written queries
put by home and foreign reporters as regards an official visit to the DPRK of
his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov.
He said:
Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov paid an official visit to
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea between February 9 and 10.
He conveyed the regards and personal letter from Acting
President Putin and his own gift to Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the
Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and
supreme commander of the Korean People's Army.
I, upon authorisation, asked the Russian Foreign Minister
to convey warm greetings of leader Kim Jong 11 to Acting President Putin.
President Kim Yong Nam of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme
People's Assembly met the Russian Foreign Minister.
The foreign ministers of the DPRK and the Russian
Federation had cordial and friendly talks and discussed the treaty of
friendship, good neighbourliness and co-operation between the two countries and
signed the treaty.
At the talks both sides informed each other of the
situation of their countries, exchanged in-depth views on improving the
bilateral relations of friendship and co-operation and had an open-hearted
discussion about a series of international issues of mutual concern.
The DPRK side reiterated the principled stand that primary
and fundamental matters in defusing the tensions on the Korean peninsula and
achieving the reunification of the country are the withdrawal of US troops and
the removal of its military installations in south Korea and the conclusion of
a peace accord between the DPRK and the US. It underlined them as critical
issues related to lasting peace and stability on the peninsula, as well as
peace and security in Russia, including the Far East.
It also said the "missile threat" from the DPRK
clamoured about by the US and other hostile forces is, in essence, a trick to
contain big countries, champions of multipolar world, under that pretext and
maintain their absolute military upper hand over them. It made clear the
principled stand that in order to protect the dignity of the nation the DPRK
will never tolerate any move to discriminate against it in the issue of
satellite and missile launch that belongs to the sovereignty of an independent
state.
The Russian side expressed full support for the
reunification of Korea that should be achieved on the three principles –
independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity – laid down
by President Kim II Sung and agreed upon by the north and south of Korea.
It also expressed its understanding of the DPRK's stand
that for peace and stability on the Korean peninsula the north and south of
Korea should be reunified and US troops, a stumbling block lying in the way of
the reunification, must leave south Korea.
The foreign ministers of the two countries were deeply
concerned about the arbitrary and high-handed practices of the US ignoring the
UN Charter and the universally recognised international laws, the projected
tripartite military alliance of the US, Japan and south Korea that jeopardises
peace and security on the Korean peninsula, in Northeast Asia and the rest of
the world and the US and Japan's efforts to set up the Theatre Missile Defence
system.
Both sides shared the view that the moves to escalate the
tensions are a source of undermining strategic balance, increasing the danger
of war and putting spurs to a new arms race in Northeast Asia and the rest of
the world and acknowledged the need for the countries concerned to cope with
them with concerted efforts.
The recently-concluded bilateral treaty of friendship, good
neighbourliness and co-operation provided a political and legal guarantee for
promoting co-operation and exchange in all fields and improving the friendly
and co-operative relations between the two countries.
It will be a substantial contribution to the friendship and
co-operation between the peoples of the two countries sharing the boundary and
to peace and security in Northeast Asia, the Asia-Pacific region and the rest
of the world.
Both sides were pleased with the developing relations
between the two countries and convinced that the bilateral relations would
continue to develop on the principle o independence, equality and
non-interference in each other's internal affairs.
