Present there on invitation were Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Saltanov and other officials of the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry, the Ministry of Regional Development, the Ministry of Economy and Development, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Extraordinary Situation, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Moscow City Government, deputies to the State Duma and the Federation Council and officials of the "United Russia" Party, the Party for Peace and Unity of Russia, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, "A Just Russia", the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and the Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK.

On hand were Ambassador Kim Yong Jae and staff members of the DPRK embassy in Moscow.

The participants paid tribute to the full-length picture of President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il after placing a floral basket and bouquets before it. Then they looked round photos on Songun Korea.

Speeches were made there.

The DPRK ambassador said that the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Russia 61 years ago marked an event of historic significance in developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the peoples of the two countries.

It is the invariable stand of the DPRK government to develop the bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation, he said, confirming that the DPRK would make all efforts to steadily strengthen and develop the bilateral relations according to the joint documents agreed upon by the top leaders of the two countries and in the spirit of inter-state treaties, in the future, too.

The vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia expressed conviction that the long-standing Russia-DPRK relations of friendship and cooperation would make steady fresh progress in mutual interests in various fields by the joint efforts of the two governments and peoples in the future, too.

The joint efforts for the expansion of bilateral cooperation will contribute to promoting welfare of the two peoples and ensuring peace and security in the Korean Peninsula and the rest of Asia, he stressed.

A reception was also held in Khabarovsk on Oct. 16.