MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Prime
Minister Vladimir Putin congratulated on Tuesday his North
Korean counterpart Kim Yong-il on the 60th anniversary of an
agreement between the two countries on economic and cultural
cooperation.
"This is the first document in the history of our
bilateral relations, which laid a legal basis for the
development of mutually beneficial and equal cooperation - not
only economic and cultural, but in all other spheres as well,"
Putin said in his congratulatory telegram.
"We highly value cooperation with North Korea...and intend
to expand and strengthen political, economic, scientific and
cultural ties and exert joint efforts to preserve peace and
stability on the Korean Peninsula," the Russian premier added.
In March 1949, North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung paid an
official visit to Moscow to ask for economic aid. The Soviet
Union is also believed to have helped North Korea during the
1950-1953 Korean War.
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