Economic cooperation between DPRK and Cuba
Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- A protocol of the 20th intergovernmental meeting of the economic, scientific and technological consultative committee of the DPRK and Cuba was signed in Havana on Nov. 8.
The signing ceremony was attended by members of the DPRK government economic delegation headed by Kang Jong Mo, Minister of Foreign Trade, and the Korean charge d'affaires ad interim to Cuba from the DPRK side and Ricardo Cabrisas Luis, Cuban Minister of Government, and officials concerned from the Cuban side.
The protocol was signed by Kang Jong Mo and Ricardo Cabrisas Luis.
A protocol on commodity exchange for 2001 between the two governments was also signed on the same day.
Kim Jong Il eulogized
Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- It was entirely attributable to the seasoned leadership of the great Kim Jong Il that the north-south joint declaration was released, said Guy Dupre, secretary general of the International Liaison Committee for Reunification and Peace in Korea, who is on a visit to the DPRK, in an interview with KCNA on Nov. 10.
He said:
The idea that reunification of Korea should be achieved by Koreans themselves is quite right. So the reunification should be realized by Koreans, not by any foreign forces.
The mass gymnastic display and art performance proved that Korea has single-hearted unity which is stronger than an atomic bomb.
Kim Jong Il's warm love for people and the Korean people's absolute worship for him are just the core of the unity.
Kim Jong Il is the great sun and leader who indicates the road ahead of humankind in the 21st century and enjoys boundless respect from all people.
In the belief that the Korean people true to his leadership would achieve great success in the building of a powerful socialist nation, he hoped that Korea would certainly be reunified according to mode of federation.
Dialogue and maneuverings are incompatible
Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- The large-scale Japan-U.S. joint combined war exercise being staged in Japan from November 2 to 18 is an open provocation and grave challenge to the DPRK, points out Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
This is the first field exercise to be held under the simulated "emergency in the areas surrounding Japan" after the adoption of the law related to the "Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation Guidelines" (war law) last year. Involved in the exercise are the three services of Japan's "Self-Defense Forces", the U.S. troops stationed in Japan, forces of the U.S. pacific fleet and other vast armed forces and even non-military personnel and facilities of Japan.
Japan and the U.S. have so far staged many military drills, but there has been no such combined war exercises as the current one involving vast armed forces and the three services of the army. The fact shows that it is the very dangerous war gamble aimed at unleashing a war of aggression from A to Z, the author of the article says, and goes on:
Japan's "emergency law" means just a war law. The current joint combined exercise is intended to improve the joint military operations of Japan's "SDF" and the U.S. forces for actual war under the pretext of "coping with emergency in the areas surrounding Japan."
The U.S. takes this opportunity to drag Japan in its military action and thus realize its military domination and control over Asia. Meanwhile, the Japanese reactionaries seek to put into practice the overseas aggression by the "SDF" in the way of taking active part in the U.S. military operations and thus attain their militarist design.
Both of Japan and the U.S. regard Korea as the first target for their aggression on Asia.
Such developments compel us to be doubtful about the attitude of the U.S. and Japan calling for "dialogue" and "improved relations".
Dialogue and war exercise are incompatible.
The U.S. and Japanese bellicose forces should discontinue such reckless war gambles aimed at unleashing a war behind the curtain of "dialogue" and "improved relations."
Japan accused of its misbehaviour
Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- Japan is impudently giving "admonition" to keep member states of the European union from establishing diplomatic ties with the DPRK.
Some time ago, the Japanese Foreign Minister, at the talks with an EU senior official in charge of security affairs, raised the "nuclear and missile issue" and the "issue of abduction" in a bid to put the brake on the movement of EU member states to have diplomatic ties with the DPRK.
Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun today says:
It is a sinister deed intended to drag European countries in the outdated anti-DPRK "cooperation" and thus attain its insidious political purpose.
EU member states are expressing their willingness to establish diplomatic relations with the DPRK, which is the affirmative developments. The improvement of relations between the DPRK and EU member states is harmful to nobody as it will develop the relations in different fields and help ensure peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world.
That is why such movements have been hailed in Asia, Europe and the rest of the world.
EU member states are now accelerating its movement toward the improvement of relations with the DPRK.
Japan will never check this advance with the "suspected abduction" it is frequently raising a hue and cry over like a dog barking at moon.
The Japanese authorities is well advised to recall a saying that the dog barks, the caravan goes on.
It is an exercise of sovereignty based on the independent judgement and decision for EU member states to establish the diplomatic ties with the DPRK. Nobody has right or need to middle in this issue.
If Japan has truly willingness to improve the relations with the DPRK, it should, above anything else, settle the keynote problems it should do, instead of doing such dirty misbehaviour.
The most urgent task of Japan in solving the DPRK-Japan relations is to liquidate its past.
The settlement of the past is a prerequisite to the improvement of the bilateral relations, and with this matter unsettled, is it impossible to establish the bilateral relations.
If Japan continues to peddle with the fiction of "suspected abduction" for somebody's sympathy and attain its sinister purpose, it will only reveal its political and moral inferiority.
4th meeting of 18th congress of Chongryon central committee held
Tokyo, November 10 (KNS-KCNA) -- The 4th meeting of the 18th congress of the central committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) was held at the Korean hall in Tokyo on November 9.
The meeting discussed the first agenda item "on greeting the 19th congress of the general association of Korean residents in Japan with brilliant patriotic success by doing well the work among broad segments of compatriots in conformity with a new favourable situation" and the second agenda item "on convening the 19th congress of the general association of Korean residents in Japan."
First vice-chairman of the central standing committee of Chongryon So Man Sul in his report on the first agenda item highlighted the need to make all efforts for making the 19th congress of Chongryon a congress of victors and a congress for providing a new milestone to the movement of Korean residents in Japan in the 21st century.
Mentioning the successes the Korean people achieved in the construction of a powerful nation and landmark events in the efforts to achieve national reunification and in the international arena, he said that the dramatic events in 2000 are a brilliant fruition of the outstanding leadership ability of the respected Kim Jong Il and the valuable gains the people in the homeland rallied close around Kim Jong Il in one mind and purpose made.
He continued:
Broad segments of compatriots will be led to make all their efforts to hold Kim Jong Il in high esteem and preserve the Juche character and national character so as to greet the 19th congress of Chongryon which will be held in Tokyo in May 2001, with a new upsurge and brilliant success in the patriotic work of Chongryon.
Ho Jong Man, chief vice-chairman of the Chongryon central standing committee, made a report on the second agenda item "on convening the 19th congress of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan."
A letter to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.