calendar>>May 12. 2009 Juche 98
Kim Yong Nam Feted by Zimbabwean President
Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- Zimbabwean President Robert G. Mugabe hosted a banquet at the presidential palace Monday in honor of Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on a visit to his country.

Present there on invitation were Kim Yong Nam, Minister of Foreign Trade Ri Ryong Nam, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hyong Jun, DPRK Ambassador to Zimbabwe An Hui Jong and other suite members.

Present there were Robert G. Mugabe, Vice-President of Zimbabwe Joyce Teurai Ropa Mujuru, vice-prime ministers, the minister of Foreign Affairs, the minister of Justice, commanders of the army, the police superintendent general and others and diplomatic envoys of different countries there.

Robert G. Mugabe in his speech said that Zimbabwe felt grateful to the government and people of the DPRK for having sent strong support and encouragement to his government and people in their struggle for the country's independence and the building of a new society.

The revolutionary idea of President Kim Il Sung has always given confidence and inspiration to the Zimbabwean people in their struggle and he will always be remembered by all people along with history, he added.

Noting that he was pleased with the relations between the two countries favorably developing with each passing day, he expressed the will to make positive efforts to boost them.

Kim Yong Nam in his speech said that the DPRK and Zimbabwe are far away from each other geographically but they forged close ties of friendship long ago and have developed the cooperative relations.

He recalled that Kim Il Sung sent support and encouragement, both material and moral, to the Zimbabwean people in their struggle for national liberation and the building of a new society, regarding President Robert G. Mugabe as a close friend and comrade-in-arms.

Saying that the DPRK is opposed to all sanctions against Zimbabwe and interference in its internal affairs and supports the government and people of Zimbabwe in their efforts to achieve political stability and economic development of the country, he stressed that the DPRK would make positive efforts to boost the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation in various fields between the two countries in the future, too.

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