'Mutually beneficial cooperation': Putin ready to meet N. Korea's Kim soon

RT
Wed, 15 Aug 2018 09:05 UTC

© ITAR-TASS / POOL / AFP

The Kremlin has sent a message to North Korea, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with Kim Jong-un soon and discuss three-way projects with both Koreas. The telegram is quoted by the North's state media.

The Kremlin's missive was sent to congratulate Kim on National Liberation Day, a holiday celebrated in both Koreas that marks the end of their occupation by Japan in 1945, which was assisted by Soviet and American troops.

According to the North Korean state news agency KCNA, Putin said he was confident that North Korea, South Korea and Russia can work together on joint projects in "mutually beneficial cooperation." He also said he would be willing to meet Kim "soon" to discuss urgent issues, both bilateral and regional. No specific date has been set.

Comment: Putin's telegram came in reply to Kim's congratulatory message on the 73th anniversary of the liberation of Korea from Japan.

"I confirm that I am ready to meet you in the near future, to discuss the pressing issues regarding bilateral ties and important regional matters," the telegram read.

The Russian president congratulated Kim and North Koreans, adding that he appreciated Kim remembering that the Soviet soldiers and the Koreans fought together in the WWII.

"I am certain that through a joint effort we, Russia, North Korea and South Korea, can further develop mutually beneficial cooperation, starting from the implementation of trilateral projects," the telegram read.

Putin had earlier invited Kim to visit Russia, floating the idea of the North's leader visiting Vladivostok for an economic forum in September, or coming for a stand-alone visit.

National Liberation Day is the only holiday that both Koreas celebrate on the same day. South Korean President Moon Jae-in marked the occasion by calling for railway, economic, and energy cooperation between the two countries.

"Even though a political unification may be a long way from here, establishing peace between the South and the North and freely visiting each other, and forming a joint economic community is true liberation to us," he said in a televised address.

Moon and Kim agreed at a summit in April to work towards formally ending the Korean War, suspended by an armistice agreement in 1953, by the end of the year.

Comment: Moon said the community would include six Northeast Asia countries and the United States, while the president's office specified that the community would include North, South Korea, China, Japan, Mongolia, Russia, and the United States, according to the Yonhap news agency.

"This community will lead to an energy bloc and economic bloc in Northeast Asia by expanding our economic area to the northern continent and becoming the foundation of co-existence and prosperity in Northeast Asia. And this will mark the start to a multilateral security system in Northeast Asia," Moon Jae-in was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency.

Moon added that he hoped for the full denuclearization of North Korea. When the peace has been established, the countries may set up at least two special economic zones next to Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, Moon said, according to the Yonhap.