Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- A reception was given at the DPRK embassy in Moscow on Tuesday to mark the 63rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Russia.

Present there on invitation were Vice Foreign Minister Aleksei Borodavkin and officials of the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Extraordinary Situation, Ministry of Agriculture, Academy of Sciences and the Railways Company of Russia and the Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK.

Ambassador Kim Yong Jae and staff members of the embassy were on hand.

Kim Yong Jae in his speech noted that the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic ties was an event of important significance in developing in an all-round way the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Over the past years these friendly and cooperative relations have steadily developed in politics, economy, culture and other fields in keeping with the wishes and interests of the two peoples, the ambassador noted.

Expressing the will to do utmost to further develop the bilateral relations in various fields, he hoped that everything would go well in Russia.

Aleksei Borodavkin said that the meeting in Ulan-Ude between President Medvedev and Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, marked a new epochal milestone in the development of the relationship between Russia and the DPRK.

Agreements reached at this summit put new spurs on the development of the Russia-DPRK relationship, providing fresh and good prospects for it, he said, stating that the foreign ministries of the two countries would do their utmost to thoroughly implement the agreements.

He hoped for successes in the friendly cooperation between the two countries and peoples and in the socio-economic development of the DPRK, wishing peace and prosperity to the Korean people.