Kim Jong-il, Putin To Begin Dialogue

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Kim Jong-il, Putin To Begin Dialogue

MOSCOW - Economic and military cooperation will be the focus of two rounds of talks Saturday at the Kremlin between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il of North Korea.

The missile shield pursued by the United States, the North's missile development program, the linking of the Trans-Korean Railway with the Trans-Siberian railway and Russian provision of weapons to the North will be among the agenda items.

"One should remember that the North expressed the intention to stop testing missiles during President Putin's visit to Pyongyang in July last year," said a diplomatic source in Moscow. "Specific conditions for a missile testing halt may come out of the talks."

The source added that substantial progress had been made in discussions on linking the two railroads. "I understand it has been agreed that Russia will invest $2 billion for the improvement of the line in North Korea," he said.

Pyongyang is particularly interested in the Russian provision and production licensing of T-80U tanks.

The two sides are also said to be exchanging opinions on cooperation in nuclear power and the adoption of a joint declaration at the end of the talks.

Alongside the summit talks, Kim Yong-chun, North Korean chief of general staff of the People's Army, and Jo Chang-dok, North Korean vice-prime minister, will have military and economic dialogues with Russian counterparts.

Mr. Kim is expected to arrive Friday night at about 10 p.m. in Moscow to end a nine-day journey through Siberia.

Moscow plans not to give an extravagant welcome in a nod to its ties with Seoul. Moscow and Pyongyang agreed to have Vice Minister Ilya Klebanov instead of Mr. Putin greet Mr. Kim at the Yaroslav train station, according to sources. Mr. Putin also reportedly directed that the talks be confined to Saturday but agreed to a possible Sunday get-together at the insistence of Mr. Kim on a two-day summit meeting. Mr. Kim will leave for St. Petersburg Sunday evening, spend one night there and return to Moscow Tuesday. He heads back home Wednesday.

by Kim Seok-hwan

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