U.S. should not seek anachronistic policy of strength

Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen reportedly told the Kyodo News Service on August 4 that it is necessary for some 100,000 U.S. troops to be stationed in East Asia and the U.S. military presence will be maintained for "an indefinite period" even after the "reunification of the north and the south of Korea." Such remarks were officially made by him some time ago, too. This is an open challenge to the desire of the Korean people and the world's peaceloving people for a durable peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and a provocation against the trend of the time towards disarmament. In the international political arena, an end has been put to the long-standing Cold War situation between the east and the west and countries and nations are going towards the relations of trust, peace and detente from hostile and confrontation relations. In disregard of such developments, the United States is seeking to keep its 100,000 troops in East Asia for an indefinite period. It is an extremely serious development which brings clouds of the Cold War to Asia. What is more serious is his remarks that the U.S. troops will be kept for an indefinite period in the Korean peninsula even after the reunification of its two sides. Today, the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from South Korea is a primary requirement for an enduring peace and stability in the region. However, the United States shows no sign of change in its attitude toward the withdrawal but is reinforcing its armed forces in South Korea. It has been illustrated by the recent deployment on the seas near the Korean peninsula of Carl Vinson and other nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered attack submarines, various types of warplanes and troops. The facts prove that the U.S. is directing the spearhead of its strong-arm strategy to the Korean peninsula and persistently seeking to gain its military domination over Asia with the peninsula as a base. Today when the cold war ended the policy of strength is not almighty but it is an anachronistic daydream. The United States should withdraw its forces from South Korea at an early date, squarely seeing the changed international situation and trend of the times.

Posters on reunification released

Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- Ten odd posters on the theme of national reunification have appeared with the approach of the August 15 grand pro-reunification festival. Among them are "Let us reunify the country independently and peacefully through the great unity of the entire nation " and "Let us reunify the country under the leadership of marshal Kim Jong Il, the sun of the nation " seen in the posters are portraits of the great leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. "Let us put an end to the tragedy of division at an early date " "Let us bring earlier the day of reunification when our fellow countrymen will meet with each other " and "We can no longer stand this " show the will of the entire Koreans in the north, the south and overseas to unite with each other and accelerate national reunification in line with the five-point policy of great national unity. "Do you want to be punished by the 70 million fellow countrymen?" "warning: fate of flunkeyist traitors" and other posters indicate the separatists are sure to meet a miserable doom.

"Sunshine policy," revamped version of theory of confrontation against north

Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today comments on the essence of the "sunshine policy" on the lips of the South Korean authorities. The "sunshine policy" designed to lead the north to "reform" and "opening" through "exchange" and "cooperation" is a rigmarole to cover up their policy of confrontation against the north, the nation and reunification with the veil of "unification" and improve their public image, the daily says, and continues: It is an anti-DPRK, anti-reunification policy of confrontation, which is entirely contrary to independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity, the three principles of national reunification which the north and south of Korea declared at home and abroad through the July 4 Joint Statement. While paying lip-services to "reconciliation," "cooperation," "improved inter-Korean relations" and dialogue, the South Korean authorities are attempting to lead the north to "reform" and "opening," going against the three principles of national reunification and the basic idea of the north-south agreement which is the embodiment of the three principles. The attempt is a revelation of their ulterior intention to erode the ideology and social system of the north, in league with outsiders and, furthermore, extend the U.S. colonial rule over South Korea even to the northern half of Korea. The "sunshine policy" is nothing but a rigmarole of the traitors, the enemies of reunification. The South Korean authorities are colonial stooges and servants of outsiders. For them to pursue the "sunshine policy" toward the north is the height of impudence. We cannot remain a passive onlooker to the moves of the South Korean rulers who are getting on our nerves with clamouring about "induction" and slandering the Korean people's revolutionary confidence in the socialist system of Korean style, the best in the world. If the South Korean authorities are interested in national reconciliation, cooperation and reunification, they should immediately stop pursuing the "sunshine policy" against the desire and aspirations of the nation.

U.S. foolish, infeasible dream

Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- The U.S. attempt to apply the "gunboat diplomacy" to the DPRK is a very foolish and infeasible dream, says rodong sinmun in a commentary today. The daily goes on: Some time ago, the spokesman for the U.S. Defense Department said the United States will continue supporting South Korea to prevent the DPRK's "incursion." We cannot but take a serious view of the fact that the United States has intensified military threat and pressure against the DPRK, the dialogue partner, taking a negative attitude towards dialogue with the DPRK-U.S. talks at hand. The United State is trying to frighten the DPRK by military threat and pressure outside the negotiating hall and gain concession and benefit from the DPRK at the talks. The "gunboat diplomacy" can never work on us. We will answer dialogue with dialogue, strength with strength.

South Korean authorities urged to ensure reunification festival

Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- Organizations of different countries strongly demanded that the South Korean authorities immediately stop the repression of the south headquarters of Pomminryon (National Alliance for the Country's Reunification) and Hanchongryon (South Korean Federation of University Student Councils) and allow their participation in the August 15 grand pro-reunification festival. The Bulgaria-Korea Friendship Association said in its July 31 statement: It is intolerable that the South Korean authorities are defining the two organizations, main forces of the reunification movement, as "enemy-benefiting" in a bid to block their participation in the festival. The Nepal Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Committee said in a July 31 statement: The South Korean authorities' moves are a crime of throwing a wet blanket over the desire of the entire Korean nation for reunification. The statement expressed the belief that parties, groupings and people from all walks of life in South Korea will positively join in the struggle for the participation of the Pomminryon south headquarters and Hanchongryon in the festival and make a successful holding of the festival, crushing the unreasonable obstruction of the fascist clique.

Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry on Bangladesh's rejection of U.S. offer

Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea today gave an answer to a question put by KCNA as the Bangladeshi government recently declined a U.S. offer concerning a military agreement. He said: As already known, the U.S. unilaterally demanded that the Bangladeshi government sign a "status of forces agreement" the keynote of which includes visa-free entry of American soldiers into Bangladesh, guarantee for unrestricted activities of the U.S. Forces and introduction into the country of the equipment and supplies for the U.S. Forces without custom procedures. The recent rejection is a step taken by the Bangladeshi government to defend the dignity and sovereignty of Bangladesh and the interests of the nation. Withdrawal of all foreign forces and military bases from other countries is the unanimous desire and demand of the peaceloving people of non-aligned countries and other nations today when the Cold War has ended and peace and detente have become the current of international situation. The U.S. should stop seeking a permanent occupation of South Korea, pull its forces out of South Korea and immediately respond to our just demand for establishment of a new peace-keeping mechanism in keeping with the requirements and trend of the times and thus do things helpful to peace, stability and reunification of the Korean peninsula. The South Korean authorities should discontinue a treacherous act of begging for permanent U.S. military presence, renounce the policy of dependence on outsiders and of war and make a fundamental policy shift to toward national independence, pro-north reconciliation and reunification.

Greetings to Ugandan parliament speaker

Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- Yang Hyong Sop, Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), sent a message of greetings to Francis J. Yayume upon his election as speaker of parliament of Uganda. The message expressed the belief that the friendly relations between the SPA of the DPRK and the parliament of Uganda would develop on good terms in the future and wished him success in his responsible work.

Plan on cultural exchange between DPRK and Egypt

Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- A 1998-2000 plan on cultural exchange between the governments of the DPRK and Egypt was signed in Pyongyang today. it was signed by vice-chairman of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Choe Jong Hwan and Egyptian ambassador to Korea Mohamed Amin Gabr.

Ri Jong Ok meets Egyptian ambassador

Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- Vice-president Ri Jong Ok today met and conversed with Egyptian ambassador to Korea Mohamed Amin Gabr, who paid a farewell call on him.

Hanchongryon delegates arrive

Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- Delegates of the (South) Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon), which represents the south headquarters of the national alliance of youth and students for the country's reunification (Pomchonghakryon), arrived here by air this afternoon to participate in the "Grand Festival for National Reconciliation, Unity and Reunification." They will also participate in a Pomchonghakryon joint exploration of and joint seminar on historical sites and cultural relics in the north. The delegates are Kim Tae Won, a fourth-year student of the stockbreeding management faculty of the animal husbandry college of Konkuk University in Seoul, and Hwang Son, a fourth-year student of the national language and literature faculty of Duksung Women's University. They were warmly welcomed at the airport and along the route by many youths, students and working people in the city.