Putin to visit North Korea at Kim's invitation, Kremlin says

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea at the invitation of the country's leader Kim Jong-un, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

"During a one-on-one conversation, Kim Jong-un invited Putin to pay a visit to North Korea. Putin gratefully accepted this invitation ... all coordination (on dates) will continue through diplomatic channels," Peskov told reporters at a news conference in Moscow.

The spokesman said "the presidential part" of Kim's visit to Moscow is over, but refused to respond to a question on the duration of the North Korean leader's stay in Russia.

Putin informed the Russian Security Council about his meeting with Kim, he said, adding that "Russian-Korean contacts at the highest level were very, very constructive."

Russia intends to build and develop with North Korea, as well as with other neighboring states "good relations of mutually beneficial cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect," he said.

According to Peskov, Putin presented Kim a glove from a spacesuit that had been to space several times, as well as a Russian carbine "of the highest quality," and received in return a "carbine made by North Korean craftsmen."

"There were also other gifts," he added.

The two leaders agreed to continue contacts at different levels, and specifically there is a directive to organize in October a visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Pyongyang, the spokesperson said.

"We appreciated the visit itself. It was timely, helpful and constructive. We will continue to develop our relations with North Korea.

"Military-technical cooperation belongs to the category of rather sensitive areas of interaction. North Korea is our neighbor, and we intend to develop relations in all possible areas, which we will do," he asserted.

- Situation in Karabakh

Turning to the situation in Karabakh, Peskov said Moscow is concerned about the ongoing tensions in the region, and continues its contacts with Baku and Yerevan, calling on both sides to exercise restraint.

"We are concerned that the tension is not subsiding and even in some areas tends to increase. Despite everything, Russia remains a reliable guarantor of security," he said.

Asked about the European Commission's decision not to extend sanctions against some Russian businessmen, Peskov said Moscow neither understands the logic of the sanctions by Brussels, nor the decisions to lift or extend them.

"As for getting out of sanctions, we know that there are entrepreneurs who are slipping into anti-Russian positions and who are trying to get themselves out of sanctions for thirty pieces of silver. These are traitors.

"At the same time, there are also entrepreneurs who methodically defend their interests in court. This is the right of any entrepreneur. And we treat him with respect," Peskov said.

He reiterated Russia's general position that sanctions against all its entrepreneurs, seizure of private property belonging to Russian business, encroachment on financial and other assets of Russian business "are actions that contradict in the full sense of the word all laws and international legislation."