Korea and Cuba will emerge victorious, says Raul Castro Ruz

    Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- We will always emerge victorious because we have the great party firmly based on the stubborn working class, farmers, students and intellectuals, and we are guided by leader Kim Jong Il and Fidel Castro Ruz. Raul Castro Ruz, first vice-president of the council of state of the Republic of Cuba, second secretary of the central committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and minister of the revolutionary armed forces, said this at a reception given at the Korean embassy in Cuba on the occasion of his 70th birthday.
    The two countries suffered great hardship in recent years but they overcame the difficulties thanks to the guidance of the outstanding leaders and the single hearted unity of the party and people, he noted.
    The U.S. imperialists have persistently schemed to isolate and suffocate the two countries politically, militarily and economically for over 50 years, but we will counter their moves more bravely, he added.
    Noting that President Kim Il Sung was the closest comrade-in-arms of Fidel Castro Ruz, He prayed for the eternal life of unforgettable Kim Il Sung.


Reception given on occasion of anniversary of DPRK-China treaty

    Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- The Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and the central committee of the DPRK-China Friendship Association arranged a reception at the People's Palace of Culture yesterday on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the signing of the DPRK-China treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance. Kim Su Hak, minister of public health who is chairman of the central committee of the DPRK-China Friendship Association, in his speech said that the DPRK-China treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance has greatly contributed to promoting socialist construction in the two countries and consolidating and developing the DPRK-China friendship on a legal basis over the last four decades since its signing.
    He went on to say:
    The DPRK-China friendship is favorably developing under the deep care of the leaders of the two countries in this new century. The historic meetings of leader Kim Jong Il and respected Jiang Zemin held last year and this year marked significant events as they demonstrated to the whole world the firm stance of the two parties and peoples to invariably strengthen and develop the DPRK-China friendship in the 21st century, too.
    We sincerely hope that the Chinese people will as ever register new successes in their efforts to actively speed up the socialist modernization drive to successfully carry out the 10th five-year plan for national economy and social development and reunify the whole country in hearty response to the decision of the 15th congress of the Communist Party of China, under the leadership of the CPC.
    Jiang Chunyun, vice-chairman of the standing committee of the National People's Congress of China, who is heading the Chinese goodwill delegation, in his speech said that the two countries have vigorously accelerated socialist construction in their countries by respecting and supporting each other and satisfying each other's needs in the bilateral relations and made a great contribution to ensuring regional peace and stability through friendship and cooperation over the last four decades in the spirit of the China-DPRK treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance.
    He went on to say:
    While staying in the DPRK, we could deeply feel the Korean people's friendship with the Chinese people and saw for ourselves the achievements made by the fraternal Korean people in their great work to build Korean-style socialism under the leadership of respected Kim Jong Il. The party, the government and people of China will as always support all the reasonable calls and proposals made by the party and the government of the DPRK to improve the inter-Korean relations and promote the reconciliation process on the Korean peninsula.
    The China-DPRK friendship jointly provided and developed by the leaders of the old generation of the two countries is deeply rooted in the minds of the two peoples. developing the relations between the two countries is favourable for socialist construction in their countries, accords with the basic interests and common desire of the two peoples and is in favour of stability, peace and development in the region and the rest of Asia.
    It is the firm policy of the party and government of china to steadily consolidate and develop the China-DPRK friendship. This policy will remain unchanged no matter what change may take place in the international situation.
    Present there on invitation were the Chinese goodwill delegation, the delegation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the China-DPRK Friendship Association, the Chinese ambassador to the DPRK and staff members of the Chinese embassy here and other Chinese guests.
    Present there were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, and officials concerned.


DPRK Taekwon-do players give good account of themselves

    Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- DPRK Taekwon-do players separately placed first in the men's and women's team pattern competitions, men's team special skill competition, women's team sparring match and women's team demonstration at the 12th World Taekwondo Championships held in Italy. They also separately came first in men's and women's individual pattern matches according to grades and in women's individual sparring matches according to kg classes, women's individual special skill competition and women's individual demonstration.
    They placed second in men's individual pattern matches, men's individual sparring matches according to kg classes, men's team sparring matches and women's team special skill competition.
    They carried off 17 gold medals, 5 silver medals and 4 cups in the championships.


Black-faced spoonbill

    Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- Black-faced spoonbills inhabit the small islands in the West Sea of Korea. Native to northeast Asia, it has rapidly decreased in number, becoming an endangered species.
    At the end of march it lays eggs throughout the islands in the West Sea. It leaves in late September or early October to spend winter in Chinese Hong Kong and Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan and some other areas in the south, returning to Korea the following March.
    They live in flocks, feeding on small fish, crabs, shrimps and insects. a female lays 4-6 eggs in a nest of twigs on rough cliff faces.
    The DPRK government has been concerned with the protection and propagation of this endangered bird, whose total number is only 500 worldwide. Unmu, Taegam, Tok and some other islets in the West Sea of Korea were designated as seabird colonies. A recent study revealed that nearly 200 of this rare species come to the Tok islet sea-bird colony to stay throughout the summer.
    World-recognised rare bird species now on the verge of extinction include tristram's woodpecker, yellow-billed white heron as well as black-faced spoonbill. They are now designated as state living monuments under constant govenment monitoring.


Spectacular successes made by university

    Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- Pyongyang University of dramatic and cinematic arts in the DPRK is a centre training talented artistes. The university has trained thousands of talented creators and artistes, written and published more than 200 kinds of books and over 1,200 valuable treatises greatly helpful to the education in dramatic and cinematic arts in the past three decades. It has also produced more than a hundred feature films, documentary films and stage and television works and photos of high ideological and artistic value and great cognitional and educational significance.
    The university has been able to make the successes under the wise guidance of leader Kim Jong Il.
    He gave on-site guidance to the university in July Juche 60 (1971) and published the famous work "on thoroughly applying the principles of socialist pedagogy in education in the cinema."
    It was not until then that the university could take a new road of its development.
    The university has steadily improved the system, contents and method of education as required by the principle of the socialist pedagogy. as a result, thousands of students have been trained into creators and artistes in the field of dramatic and cinematic arts and T.V. broadcasting. Over 130 of them received honorary titles.


Congratulations to prime minister of Lithuania

    Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a congratulatory message to Algirdas Brazauskas on the latter's appointment as prime minister of Lithuania. The message expressed the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would develop on good terms in the interests of the two peoples and sincerely wished him great success in his responsible work.


Day of World Population observed

    Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson today devotes a signed article to the Day of World Population. The U.N. population fund instituted the day with an aim to increase social concern and awareness of the issue of population and fully settle the population issue which is getting more serious as the days go by and thus achieve social progress and guarantee the wellbeing of humankind, the article says, and continues:
    The issue of population is now being satisfactorily solved in the DPRK thanks to its government correct policy of population and popular policies.
    The people are undergoing not a few difficulties and hardships in their living and working conditions due to the recent consecutive years of natural disaster. but profound care is shown for the birth of babies and the health of people.
    However serious the issue of population may be, humankind can certainly settle the issue if they set forth a correct policy and consistently implement it.


Greetings to FM of Philippines

    Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- DPRK foreign minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to Teofisto T. Guingona, vice-president and foreign minister of the Republic of the Philippines, on the first anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and the Philippines. The message noted that the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries on July 12 last year marked a significant event which helped deepen the understanding and trust between the two peoples and further develop the bilateral cooperation in political, economic, cultural and other fields.
    Expressing the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries, which have favourably developed since the opening of diplomatic ties, would continue to grow stronger, it wished Teofisto T. Guingona success in his work.


President Kim Yong Nam leaves for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

    Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, left here today by special plane on official goodwill visits to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Leaving with him were minister of foreign trade Ri Kwang Gun, minister of culture Kang Nung Su, vice-minister of foreign affairs Pak Kil Yon, vice-chairperson of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Hong Son Ok and other suite members.
    Kim Yong Nam and his party were seen off at the airport by vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly Yang Hyong Sop, foreign minister paek nam sun and others.
    They were also seen off by charges d'affaires ad interim of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and foreign diplomatic envoys here.



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