MOSCOW. Oct 15 (Interfax) - Moscow is interested in strengthening and expanding cooperation with North Korea, Director of the First Asia Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Georgy Zinovyev said.
"[We] are interested in further expansion and strengthening of multifaceted interaction between our countries, intensification of ties in practical sectors, including in a multilateral format. Russia is also ready for close cooperation with North Korea in ensuring peace and security on the Korean Peninsula," Zinovyev said at a reception at the North Korean Embassy in Moscow on Tuesday.
"We are convinced that the implementation of our shared plans will be beneficial not only for the people of Russia and North Korea, but also become an important factor of maintaining peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia in general," he said.
North Korean charge d'affaires a.i. in Moscow Jing Jong Heb, in turn, pointed out that Pyongyang will make efforts to develop relations with Russia.
"We will continue making all possible efforts to develop relations of friendship and cooperation in accordance with the aspirations and wishes of the peoples of the two countries and the spirit and the letter of the agreements achieved at the summit level and the joint documents," he said.