MOSCOW. March 14 (Interfax) - The Russian Federation Council's friendship group with the North Korean parliament will visit Pyongyang on March 16-21 in order to discuss the two countries' economic and humanitarian cooperation in areas not subject to international sanctions, the group's head Oleg Melnichenko told Interfax on Thursday.
"We plan to hold meetings with DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] Vice Minister of Foreign Ministers Im Chon Il, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the Central Committee's International Department Ri Su Yong and Vice Minister of External Economic Relations Ri Kwang Gun," Melnichenko said.
The sides will discuss "a wide variety of issues dealing with cooperation between the Russian Federation and the DPRK, above all its interregional aspect," he said.
"It includes cultural, educational, and economic cooperation in spheres that are not subject to sanctions of the UN Security Council,' he said.
Russian senators will visit North Korea on March 16-21 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the two countries' Agreement on Cultural and Economic Cooperation.
The program for the trip is quite a busy one, Melnichenko said.
"Visits to a number of economic facilities have been arranged. We will visit an electronic appliances plant, Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies, a high school, and the construction for a new residential area. We will also visit an innovative plant that produces equipment enabling the use of renewable energy sources," he said.
A musical group from Russia's Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District will give a major concert at a Pyongyang theater, Melnichenko said.
"We will also visit the Victorious War Museum and all monuments linked to the history of the DPRK and its leaders," he said.