Pyongyang, June 20 (KCNA) -- An inter-state treaty on establishing comprehensive strategic partnership on the principle of equality, respect for sovereignty, good neighbourliness and mutual benefit was signed between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation, signed the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation on June 19.

Attending the signing ceremony were leading officials of the DPRK and Russia.

When Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin signed the treaty and exchanged documents, the participants clapped their hands in congratulation of the signing of the treaty.

Kim Jong Un had a photo taken with Putin in commemoration of the conclusion of the historic treaty to be specially recorded in the history of the DPRK-Russia relations.

The two top leaders made a joint statement as regards the conclusion of the treaty.

Noting that his heart was overflowing with deep emotion as he was together with the comrades of Russia, the sincerest and closest comrades-in-arms, at the significant moment when the whole world focuses its attention on Pyongyang that received a friendly mission from Russia, Kim Jong Un said that he signed with Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin a treaty to be etched in the history of the development of the friendly relations between the two countries.

Calling it a great event, he said that he felt really honoured to have responsibly brought about, together with President Putin, a political event of great strategic weight and significance, in his capacity as the president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, for the excellent peoples of the two countries and for the present and the future.

He said that the conclusion of the treaty put the relations of the two countries on a new higher stage, a stage of relations of alliance, and thus established a legal framework for carrying out the far-reaching plan of the leaderships of the two countries and the century-old desire of their peoples to build powerful states while firmly defending the regional and global security environment in conformity with their common interests. The relations of the two countries have also been placed on a more wonderful track of long-term development conducive to the progress and well-being of the two countries through the expansion of mutual cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, military and various other fields, he added.

He said that he would like to stress in particular that the birth of the most powerful treaty in the history of the DPRK-Russia relations would be unthinkable separated from the outstanding foresight, bold decision and will of Comrade Putin, a close friend of the DPRK people.

The great DPRK-Russia alliance, which will serve as a watershed in the history of the development of the relations between the two countries, has signalled the start of its grand voyage after raising the historic anchor at this ceremony, he said, affirming that the DPRK government will always be faithful to its obligation specified in the treaty throughout the future journey for steadily developing the comprehensive strategic partnership, the invincible relations of alliance with the Russian Federation.

He expressed his firm belief that the powerful bilateral treaty would become an engine for accelerating the building of a multi-polarized new world free from domination, subordination, hegemony and high-handedness as a very constructive, long-term, thoroughly peace-loving and defensive one for promoting and safeguarding the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two countries.

He solemnly declared the invariable will of the DPRK government that there will be neither an iota of difference in interpretation nor any slightest hesitation and vacillation in fulfilling all the historic tasks conducive to the eternal development of friendship and promotion of the wellbeing of the peoples and posterity of the two countries and in remaining faithful to performing the duty to tackle with concerted efforts any affairs, events and national difficulties already faced and to be faced in the future by the two countries.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin said that the Russian Federation has attached primary significance to strengthening the traditional friendly and good-neighbourly relations between the two countries, adding that it has accumulated vast experience in the development of mutual cooperation with the DPRK in various fields for decades.

He stated that the treaty on the comprehensive strategic partnership, signed between Russia and the DPRK, is an actual breakthrough document reflecting the desire of the two countries to put the relations of Russia and the DPRK on a new qualitative level, not merely remaining on the level they reached.

Saying that Russia and the DPRK are both pursuing independent foreign policies of their own, not tolerating any words of blackmail and pressure but actually opposing any imposing of politically-motivated sanctions and restrictions, Putin stressed that the two countries will continue to cope with the manoeuvres for sanctions and pressure, methods habitually employed by the West to maintain its hegemony in politics, the economy and other fields, and in that context, the indefinite restrictions imposed on the DPRK by the UN Security Council at the instigation of the US and its followers, should be reexamined.

Saying that the main reason for escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula is the confrontational policy of the US scaling up and intensifying military exercises with the involvement of the countries hostile toward the DPRK, including the ROK and Japan, he noted that Russia will never tolerate the attempt to shift the blame for the aggravated situation onto the DPRK.

He said that the DPRK has the right to bolster up its own defence capabilities, ensure its national security and defend its sovereignty, adding that Russia has the willingness to make political and diplomatic efforts to remove the danger of the recurrence of armed conflict on the Korean peninsula and establish a long-term peace and stability structure in the region on the basis of the invariable principle of security.

The treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership signed today envisages ensuring mutual support if one of the signatories to the treaty is invaded, Putin said, adding that the Russian Federation shall not rule out military technical cooperation with the DPRK under the treaty.

Expressing belief that the talks of the day would contribute to further developing the relations of friendship and partnership between Russia and the DPRK and strengthening security in all regions, he expressed thanks once again to Kim Jong Un and all the friends of the DPRK for according cordial hospitality and organizing an undertaking beneficial to both sides.

The top leaders of the DPRK and Russia hoped that the significant treaty-signing ceremony would serve as a strategic choice whose significance would be further highlighted along with the development of the DPRK-Russia relations for the next one hundred years and as an unforgettable occasion promising a bright future of the peoples of the two countries, strongest and wisest in the world.

The great comradely unity and militant friendship between the DPRK and the Russian Federation, which have been remarkably developed into comprehensive strategic partnership and invincible relations of alliance in the new era under the outstanding and energetic leadership of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un and the respected Comrade Vladimir Putin, will encourage the struggle of the progressive mankind desirous of a just and peaceful new world and demonstrate its great vitality to the whole world.