MOSCOW. Feb 14 (Interfax) - Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are hoping to step up bilateral cooperation in various areas.
"We shall seek to shift our bilateral economic ties onto a practical track by concentrating efforts on completion of the modernization of the port of Rajin and by advancing new projects in the field of the coal industry and railroad transport, as well as implementing our large-scale tripartite projects," DPRK Ambassador Kim Yong Jae said at a reception on the occasion of Kim Jong-il's 72nd birthday anniversary in Moscow on Thursday.
"The recent visit to Russia by Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) Presidium Kim Yong-nam and his attendance of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi were an important moment and a good signal to further strengthen our relations," the ambassador said.
Russia needs to step up its bilateral economic relations with the DPRK, said Andrei Kulik, Director of the First Department of Asia at the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"We are calling for more active trade and economic ties between Russia and the DPRK and for opening up the existing potentials in this field. In our view, this will also be helped by the events due to take place in the very near future in the framework of the intergovernmental commission for trade, economic, science and technology cooperation," he said.
"Our economic ties will also be revived by the implementation of the tripartite projects, key among which is the modernization of the railroad section between Rajin and Hassan and partial reconstruction of the port of Hassan," Kulik said.
Russia is calling for swift resumption of six-party talks and securing a non-nuclear status of the Korean peninsula, he said.
"We are ready to continue the joint work for the common goal of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula, ensuring safety and stability of the socio-economic development of all countries in the region," he said.
"We therefore hope for swift resumption of the six-party process whose final goal is to ensure the non-nuclear status of the Korean peninsula, to create conditions for stronger peace and security in northeast Asia, and to develop comprehensive cooperation among the nations in the region," the diplomat said.
Russia welcomes the resumption of the talks between north and south on the Korean peninsula.
"Russia positively perceives and supports the resumption of dialogue between the two Koreas aimed at achieving peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," Kulik said.
It was reported earlier that the SPA presidium chairman led the North Korean delegation which attended the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sochi. During his visit on February 6-8 he met with Russian leaders, including the Russian president and the Federation Council speaker.