China's top legislator arrives in Novosibirsk (09/15/2000) China's top legislator Li Peng arrived in Novosibirsk,Russia on Friday to continue his nine-day official visit to Russia. Li, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, flew in from Moscow, the Russian capital. During his stay in Moscow, Li had meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Chairman Yegor Stroyev and State Duma (lower house) Speaker Gennady Seleznyov. Novosibirsk, the largest city in Siberia, is the second stop of Li's Russia trip. He will also visit Vladivostock in the Far East. On Saturday, Li is scheduled to visit Akademgorodok, seat of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and meet Novosibirsk Governor Viktor Toloconsky. (Xinhua) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DPRK Defense Minister Proposes Military Talks DPRK defense minister Kim Il-chul sent a letter to his South Korean counterpart Cho Seong-tae proposing military talks on issues concerning the DMZ related to the linking of the Seoul-Shinuiju railway line, and the proposed Munsan-Kaesong highway, according to an informed source Thursday. The source said the letter was delivered on Wednesday through an army colonels' contact at Panmunjom and defense minister Cho responded through the same channel the next day proposing the talks be held on September 25 and the 26th in Hong Kong. DPRK defense minister Kim Il-chul sent a letter to his South Korean counterpart Cho Seong-tae proposing military talks on issues concerning the DMZ related to the linking of the Seoul-Shinuiju railway line. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DPRK Envoy Wraps Up Four-Day Visit A special envoy for DPRK leader Kim Jong-il on Thursday wrapped up his four-day visit to Seoul, during which he arranged the DPRK leader's visit to the South early next year. Kim Yong-sun was the first DPRK official to return to the North via the border village of Panmunjom since 1992. "Kim and the delegation had planned to return to the North by air but went back via Panmunjom because of typhoon Saomai," a government official said. During his trip to the South Kim held talks with his South Korean counterpart Lim Dong-won, in which both sides agreed to hold their first-ever military meeting late this month. Officials said that both sides are likely to open inter-Korean Red Cross talks early next week that would arrange more reunions of families torn apart by the 1950-1953 Korean War. The DPRK envoy flew in on Monday and toured the resort island of Cheju, where a limited number of North Korean tourists are expected to visit soon. Before returning to Pyongyang, Kim held talks with President Kim Dae-jung in which he delivered a personal message from the North's leader. _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
