. Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- Talks between Choe Ryong Hae, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, were held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall here on Thursday.

Present there were Kang Yun Sok, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the SPA of the DPRK, Pak In Chol, chairman of the SPA, Kim Jong Gyu, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Ri Chol, director of the Academy of Medical Science of the Ministry of Public Health who is concurrently chairman of the DPRK-Russia Friendship Parliamentary Group, officials concerned, Ivan Melinikov, first deputy speaker of the State Duma, Alexandr Babakov and Vladislav Dawankov, deputy speakers of the State Duma, and other leading members of the delegation of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and Aleksandr Matsegora, Russian ambassador to the DPRK.

The talks discussed the issue of building a new peaceful and just world and further developing bilateral cooperation for the welfare and development of friendly relations between the peoples of the two countries through joint efforts and issues of mutual concern.

The talks proceeded in a comradely and friendly atmosphere. -0-