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DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration


Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- The DPRK-Russia joint declaration signed by General Secretary Kim Jong Il and President V.V. Putin of the Russian Federation reads in full:

DPRK-Russia joint declarationV.V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation, visited the DPRK from July 19 to 20, 2000, at the invitation of Kim Jong Il, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission.The DPRK-Russia summit meeting and talks held in Pyongyang were a landmark event in the history of the friendly relations between the two countries...

The leaders of the two countries had an open-hearted exchange of opinions on the matters related to bilateral relations and international issues of mutual concern and declare as follows according to the results of the talks:

1. The signing of the treaty of friendship, good neighborliness and cooperation between the DPRK and the Russian Federation on February 9, 2000, demonstrated each other's desire to strengthen the traditional relations of friendship, good neighborliness, mutual trust and multilateral cooperation, respect the objective and principles of the UN Charter, achieve international security and stability and develop equitable and mutually beneficial cooperation in northeast Asia and the rest of the world.

Further developing cooperation and close bilateral interaction efforts between the DPRK and Russia conforms with the fundamental interests of the two peoples and the trend towards building a multipolar world and establishing a new fair and reasonable international order based on the principle of equality, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation. This international order is aimed to guarantee reliable security of every country in the political, military, economic, social and cultural and other fields.

2. The DPRK and the Russian Federation express their unwavering intention to make positive efforts for disarmament and global stability and security against all the policies of aggression and war. The DPRK and Russia express the willingness to get in touch with each other without delay if the danger of aggression to the DPRK or to Russia is created or when there is the need to have consultations and cooperate with each other under the circumstances where peace and security are threatened. The DPRK and Russia confirm their commitment neither to sign with a third country any treaties and agreements detrimental to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the other party, nor to participate in any actions, steps and blocs.

3. The DPRK and Russia, hailing the efforts to independently settle the question of Korean reunification by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation according to the north-south joint declaration, reached a consensus of views on not allowing any outside interference in this process and consider it important for the countries concerned to support it. Russia confirmed its support to the agreement reached between north and South Koreans on this matter.

4. The DPRK and Russia have confirmed their respect for the objective and principle of the UN Charter which is of universal and enduring nature. The DPRK and Russia will cooperate in reforming and reinforcing the United Nations and enhancing its leading role in handling world affairs. They also base themselves on the view that use of force or threat of its use in violation of the UN Charter should be regarded as an intolerable challenge to the fundamentals of the system of international relations. They will closely cooperate with each other to make the UN millennium summit and general assembly successful and fruitful, and call upon all the member nations to make a constructive contribution to achieving this objective.

5. Confirming each state's sovereign right to choose its own way of political, economic and social development, the DPRK and Russia oppose interference in other states' internal affairs perpetrated under the pretext of humanitarian intervention and support each other's efforts to defend its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

6. The DPRK and Russia call for strengthening strategic and regional stability and, at the same time, further reducing factors of use of force in international relations. It is of key significance to ensure that STRAT-2 will take effect as soon as possible for its full implementation and START-3 be concluded at an early date, while preserving and reinforcing the 1972 ABM treaty, a bedrock of strategic stability and drastic reduction of strategic offensive arms. 

The DPRK expressed full support to Russia's efforts in this regard. The DPRK and Russia consider that the results of the analysis of the present international realities prove the missile threat from some states cited as a pretext to justify their projected amendment to the ABM treaty to be totally groundless.In this connection, the DPRK stated that its missile program does not pose any threat to anybody but is purely peaceful in its nature. The DPRK and Russia consider that any deployment of the closed Theatre Missile Defense system of bloc style in Asia and Pacific may seriously wreck regional stability and security.

 7. The DPRK and Russia are convinced that any form of international terrorism, separatism, religious extremism and multi-national criminal activities pose threat to security of sovereign states and world peace as a whole. Hence the two sides cooperate with each other in combating organized crimes or terrorism, including illegal actions against security of civil aviation and maritime navigation and illegal trafficking in drugs, arms and cultural and historical treasures.

8. The DPRK and Russia hold that the 21st century should be a century of prosperity for all peoples of the world and, to this end, sovereign states should expand equitable and mutually beneficial international cooperation to ensure sustainable economic growth while cementing their own economic foundations.

9. Acknowledging that the two countries are interested in turning northeast Asia into a zone of peace, good-neighborliness, stability and equitable international cooperation, the DPRK and Russia stressed that the bilateral relations of cooperation are of invariable importance in this regard. The two sides, highly estimating the role of the ASEAN regional forum, expressed their willingness to make a due contribution to its work.

10. The DPRK and Russia manifested the willingness to actively develop trade, economic and scientific and technological ties between the two sides and create legal, financial and economic conditions favourable for this. To this end both sides sign economic agreements in conformity with the generally accepted principles and norms of domestic and international laws.

Chairmen of the DPRK and Russian sides to the inter-governmental committees for cooperation in trade, economy, science and technology have been authorized to step up the work of drawing up gigantic plans for cooperation in various fields such as metal, power, transport, forestry, oil, gas and light industries. Both sides agreed to pay a special attention to the reconstruction of the jointly built enterprises.

11. The DPRK and Russia will strengthen the relations between judicial and state power institutions and social organizations of the two countries and realize cooperation in security, national defence, science, education, culture, public health, social security, law, environmental protection, tourism, sports and other fields.
    V.V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation, expressed thanks for the cordial hospitality accorded to him in Pyongyang and invited Kim Jong Il, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, to visit Russia at an appropriate time and the invitation was accepted with pleasure.

Kim Jong Il Chairman The DPRK National Defence Commission

V.V. Putin President The Russian Federation 

Pyongyang July 19, 2000


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