North Korean Foreign Minister to visit Russia May 20-23

North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun is expected to pay an official visit to Russia on May 20-23, the Russian foreign ministry's information and press department told RIA Novosti Tuesday. The North Korean minister will be visiting Russia on his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov's invitation. Mr Paek Nam Sun last visited Moscow on October 6, 2000 on his way from Berlin back to North Korea. He then held a meeting, at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily Sredin. Mr Ivanov made an official visit to North Korea on February 9, 2000. His visit brought forth a new bilateral treaty on friendship, good-neighbourly relations and cooperation. In July 2000, North Korea was visited by President Vladimir Putin of Russia. While on July 26 through August 18 visiting Russia was Kim Jong Il, Chairman of North Korea's National Defence Committee. His Moscow talks with President Putin brought forth a declaration in which the conferees spoke out in favour of intensifying bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation and reaffirmed the necessity of establishing peace and stability on the Korean peninsula by political means.