In his message, Mr Putin noted the Korean people’s heroism in their long years of stubborn struggle against colonial enslavement and also said it was pleasing to see that the North Korean people remember well the important part Soviet army units in the Far East played in liberating Korea in August 1945. The President said how much he valued, in this context, North Korean war veterans’ participation in the celebrations in Moscow marking the sixtieth anniversary of VE Day.
Mr Putin said he hoped to make the constructive bilateral dialogue on current international issues more intensive in the interests of strengthening peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and throughout Asia in general.