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Russian government, political parties and organizations held a memorial meeting in Moscow on December 16 on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the demise of Chairman Kim Jong Il.

Present there were personages of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the General People's Union Party of Russia, the Moscow City Branch Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK, the Korean War Veterans' Council, the Academy of Sciences and the Group for International Solidarity with the DPRK and the DPRK ambassador to Russia and staff members of his embassy.

Prior to the meeting, the participants laid a flower basket and bouquets before an artwork depicting President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il standing together at the venue of the event and paid tribute to them.

They also looked round photos dealing with the undying exploits performed by President Kim Il Sung, Chairman Kim Jong Il and the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un for the development of the DPRK-Russia friendly relations.

At the memorial meeting the participants paid silent tribute to the memory of Kim Jong Il, praying for his immortality.

A report was made there to be followed by speeches.

The chairman of the Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK in a report praised Kim Jong Il as a great statesman who developed and enriched the Juche idea and thus illuminated the road to be followed by the Korean people and progressive mankind and defended the destiny of socialist Korea in the face of severe ordeals and difficulties.

The vice-director of the Asia 1 Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the chairman of the General People's Union Party and the chairman of the Korean War Veterans' Council said that Kim Jong Il, a prominent statesman, made a great contribution to the development of the Russia-DPRK relations and that he was, indeed, an outstanding leader recognized by the world.

Saying that the Russia-DPRK relations are rapidly developing under the personal concern of Kim Jong Un, they expressed their will to make positive contributions to further strengthening the relations between the two countries.