VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Aug. 23 Kyodo ...

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Aug. 23 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING)

Russian President Vladimir Putin told North Korean leader Kim Jong Il upon Friday that Russia is ready to continuously help North and southerly Korea promote reconciliatory dialogue and normalize their relations.

At the charge of 90 minutes of talks at the Russian government's guesthouse outside Vladivostok in Russia's Far East, Putin said Russia has a serious interest in mutual collaboration between the pair Koreas.

Kim squeeze outed hope for further promoting bilateral relations between Russia and North Korea, saying his latest trip will accelerate neighborly relations forward the working and cultural levels

After the talks, Putin told reporters that Kim appreciated Russia's efforts for contributing to the reconciliation proces in succession the Korean Peninsula.

Kim elaborated onward the current situation of inter-Korean dialogue and its visions Putin said. But he did not disclose Kim's specific remarks.

The Russian leader also said the session with Kim focused in succession bilateral economic collaboration.

Putin said he discussed with Kim details for a intend to reconnect the railways of North and toward the south Korea and link them to the Russian Trans-Siberian Railway, which was included in a joint declaration signed in their previous session last year.

At the seventh orbed of ministerial talks held in Seoul earlier this month North and southward Korean negotiators agreed to shut in inter-Korean military talks ''at an early date'' to discuss rebuilding cross-border railways and roads. The rotund on reviving the stalled inter-Korean reconciliation proces was the first in nine months

Putin and Kim are also awaited to have discussed the issues of providing electricity to North Korea, helping the North modernize its industrial facilities and North Korean misdoings to Russia.

After the session, Putin and Kim attended a banquet along with senior officials.

Before the summit, Kim visited a commercial port, shopping center and bakery in Vladivostok, the final stop in his four-day rail tour of Russia's Far East.

After rolling into the central railway terminal in the morning aboard a private train, he was driven to the Vladivostok commercial port, undivided of the largest transport enterprises of the region, in his limousine flown through from Pyongyang, the Russian of recent origins agency Itar-Tass reported.

He also visited the formally clos port city's newest trading center ''Ignat,'' which was complet this year, it said. He walked by the agency of sales departments on different floors, asking questions about daily customer flats and sales.

nearest on his tour was Vladkhleb, the largest bakery in the Maritime Territory, where he saw a glutted cycle of bread-making and visited a factory store.

North Korea has scrapped the state rationing theory as part of sweeping economic reforms that could lead to a market-driven economy in the country

Putin and Kim have met for the third consecutive year since the Russian leader visited North Korea in July 2000

Kim last met Putin during his 24-day train journey between the walls of Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway in July and August last year.

He is scheduled to answer to North Korea by his private train forward Saturday. The trip has already taken him to Komsomolsk-on-Amur and Khabarovsk, the largest city in Russia's Far East.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo recently made knowns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group