Pyongyang, October 19 (KCNA) -- The DPRK government hosted a reception on Wednesday evening in welcome of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on an official visit to the DPRK.

Present there on invitation were his entourage including Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Andrei Ludenko and Alexandr Matsegora, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, and staff members of his embassy.

Minister Choe Son Hui and Vice-Minister Im Chon Il and other officials of the DPRK Foreign Ministry were on hand.

Choe Son Hui made a speech at the reception.

She, on behalf of the DPRK government, warmly welcomed Sergei Lavrov and his party visiting Pyongyang for friendship and solidarity, exchange and cooperation between the two countries.

She said that the DPRK-Russia friendly relations, firmly consolidated through generations and centuries, are now further developing into an unbreakable comradely relationship and into a future-oriented eternal relationship under the strategic decision and correct leadership of President of the State Affairs Kim Jong Un and President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

She expressed expectation that the comprehensive and constructive relations between the DPRK and Russia would be expanded on a higher level according to the historic agreement reached by their top leaders and satisfactory results would be made in promoting the well-being of the two peoples through the current visit.

Then Sergei Lavrov made a speech.

Congratulating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Russia-DPRK diplomatic relations, he said that he is looking back with reverence upon the exploits of the great Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il , who gave birth to the bilateral relations and made great contributions to their development, on the occasion of the significant day.

The DPRK is a genuine independent and sovereign state firmly defending its sovereignty and security, remaining unfazed by any pressure of the U.S. and the West, he said, adding that Russia fully supports all the policies the DPRK government and people headed by President of the State Affairs Kim Jong Un have adopted to defend the national sovereignty and development and interests.

He affirmed that his current visit would serve as a significant occasion of bringing substantial results for the implementation of the agreement made at the Russia-DPRK summit meeting and talks which demonstrated the will to develop the bilateral relations into comprehensive and strategic ones in the interests of the peoples of the two countries.

A joint performance was given at the reception by the Ensemble of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and the State Merited Chorus. -0-

www.kcna.kp (Juche112.10.19.)