North Korean FM Says Pyongyang Shares Common Position With Russia On All Strategic Issues: Report

Seoul, May 31 (IANS) North Korea’s Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui said her country shares “a common position” with Russia on all strategic issues at an event commemorating a late Russian ambassador, a Russian report has said.Choe made the remarks the previous day at a ceremony unveiling a memorial plaque at the Russian Embassy dedicated to former Ambassador Alexander Matsegora, the Tass news agency said.Matsegora, who had served as Russia’s ambassador to North Korea for more than 10 years, died suddenly at the age of 70 last December while in the post, for reasons unknown.”Today, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation share a common position on all strategic issues, which corresponds to the level of allied relations,” Yonhap news agency reported quoting Tass.”By consistently defending our core mutual interests, (Moscow and Pyongyang) are achieving success in the comprehensive expansion and development of bilateral relations and in improving the well-being of the peoples of the two countries,” she also noted.Choe also expressed her country’s commitment to ensuring the comprehensive expansion and development of relations with Russia “on the basis of coadeship and trust forged in blood through the harsh trials of time,” Tass reported.She also indicated that North Korea plans to further deepen cooperation with Russia in accorce with agreements reached by the two countries’ leadership.North Korea’s state media, Korean Central News Agency, also reported on Sunday that Jo Yong-won, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, and Foreign Minister Choe attended the unveiling ceremony held at the Russian Embassy the previous day.Ambassador Matsegora was appointed as Russia’s ambassador to North Korea in December 2014 and worked in Pyongyang for over 10 years before passing away at the age of 70 last December. intrs