Greetings to Yasser Arafat
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, yesterday sent a message of greetings to Yasser Arafat, President of the State of Palestine, chairman of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and head of the Palestinian National Authority, on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the proclamation of the State of Palestine.
The message extended warm congratulations to the President and the Palestinian people on this occasion.
Expressing belief that the friendly ties that exist between the two countries would continue to grow stronger and develop in the new century.
The message wished him and the Palestinian people fresh success in their struggle to realize the national desire for freedom and independence and achieve peace and security in the Mideast.
Kim Yong Nam meets Australian Foreign Minister
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, met and conversed with Alexander John Gosse Downer, Foreign Minister of Australia, and his party at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Present there were Pak Kil Yon, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Hong Song Nam congratulates Yugoslav Prime Minister
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a congratulatory message to Zoran Zizic on his election as Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Expressing pleasure at the republic's regain of UN membership, the message sincerely wished him great success in his responsible work for the stability and prosperity of the country.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a congratulatory message to new Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic.
Hong Song Nam meets Italian Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, met and conversed with Enrico Letta, Italian Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade, and his party at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Jon Sung Hun, Minister of Metal and Machine-Building Industries, Kim Pong Ik, vice-Minister of Foreign Trade, and officials concerned were present there.
Memorandum signed between DPRK and Australia
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- A memorandum of understanding on joint agricultural research and development plan between the governments of the DPRK and Australia was signed in Pyongyang yesterday.
Present at the signing ceremony were Paek Nam Sun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, So Kil Bok, vice-Minister of Foreign Trade, and officials concerned and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander John Gosse Downer and his party.
Reception given for Australian FM and his party
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- The DPRK government hosted a reception for the Australian Foreign Minister and his party on a visit to the DPRK at the Mansudae Assembly Hall yesterday.
Paek Nam Sun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, made a speech there.
The visit of the Australian Foreign Minister and his party to the DPRK marks an important occasion of promoting the mutual understanding and confidence and giving impetus to the development of the bilateral relations, he said, and continued:
The two countries share the desire to contribute to developing the bilateral relations on the publicly recognized principles of the international law--mutual respect for sovereignty, non-interference in other's internal affairs, equality and reciprocity--and achieving regional reconciliation, cooperation and prosperity.
The Australian Foreign Minister in his speech made at the reception said that he was very pleased to visit Pyongyang and it was impressive to see the north and the south entering the Sydney Olympics together with one flag.
He praised the north-south summit held in Pyongyang in June and expressed hope that the DPRK would defend sovereignty in the future, too, and Korean reunification be achieved.
Japan urged to redress its past crimes
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- Japan can neither deny its crimes committed in the past nor evade responsibility for them, says Rodong Sinmun in a signed article today.
Japan has not yet awaken from its old dream of aggression but is swimming against the trend of the times despite the daily mounting call of the world people for its apology and compensation for the crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists in the past, the article says, and goes on:
Japan perpetrated hideous crimes in the past.
They were most monstrous and brutal in human history.
Yet, the Japanese reactionary circles play down these crimes and even deny the fact that Japan committed such criminal acts in the past.
Japan's evasion of the settlement of its past is a negation of history and a challenge to peace and justice.
Japan's refusal to redress its past crimes is prompted by an intention to repeat its past. If the old idea of invading and dominating other countries is further incited among the Japanese reactionaries and put into practice, humankind will again suffer horrible disasters.
Conniving and tolerating Japan's wrong attitude not to redeem its past crimes is little short inviting misfortune.
Whether Japan becomes a full-fledged member of the international community or finds itself in a tight corner, condemned by the world depends on its attitude.
S. Korean naval warships commit military provocation
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- South Korean naval warships committed a serious military provocation on November 14 by illegally intruding into the territorial waters of the north side, according to military sources.
At around 8:30 a.m. that day four naval warships intruded deep into the territorial waters of the north side west of Jangsan cape by sailing among several fishing boats.
As a patrol boat of the navy of the Korean People's Army promptly sailed to the waters, the warships got ready for action after leaving the fishing boats behind. Three South Korean naval warships left Paekryong islet for the territorial waters of the north to join those warships, as if they had been waiting for the chance.
Scared by the prompt sailing of the KPA naval patrol boat, those warships fled southward in a flurry.
Similar intrusion into those territorial waters of the north side was committed on November 5, 6 and 13.
All these grave military provocations committed against the north cannot be construed otherwise than deliberate and premeditated maneuvers of the South Korean military authorities to stop the situation from turning favorable.
The navy of the Korean People's Army is highly alerted and keeps itself fully ready for action to cope with the situation.
The South Korean military authorities will be wholly responsible for the consequences to be entailed by the military provocations in the west sea.
Meeting for solidarity with Korean people held in Dominica
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- A meeting for solidarity with the Korean people was held in Santo Domingo, Dominica, on October 31 on the occasion of the month of supporting the proposal for founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo.
Speakers at the meeting noted that it is the unanimous wish of not only the Korean people but the whole humankind to see Korea reunified according to the proposal for founding the DFRK advanced by the President Kim Il Sung.
A statement adopted at the meeting said that the five-point policy for great national unity put forward by the respected leader Kim Jong Il is the most just policy for national reunification as it can ensure genuine peace and security on the Korean peninsula at present.
It reiterated full support and solidarity with the Korean people in the struggle for the country's reunification and scathingly condemned the United States and Japan for their moves to block it.
A solidarity letter to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.
All Koreans urged to come out for national reunification
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article calls upon all the Korean people to turn out in a sacred struggle to achieve great national unity and national reunification with love of the country and the nation.
The article says: The Korean nation should unite as one as it consists of classes and strata with different ideas, religious beliefs and isms. This cause of great national unity can be successfully accomplished only when it is based on the idea reflecting the common thoughts, feelings, desires and interests of the members of the nation.
Love of the country and the nation common to all members of the nation is an ideological basis of great national unity, the article notes, and goes on:
It is because this love represents the common feelings of all members of the nation and the strongest sentiment whereby to achieve great national unity in conformity with the actual situation where Korea remains divided.
Nothing is nobler and stronger than this love.
The homogeneous. Korean nation is replete with this love that has been fully displayed throughout its history spanning 5,000 years.
It is this love of the country and the nation that encourages the Korean nation to forge ahead toward reunification irrespective of ideology, political view and religious belief.
It is a source of the strongest ideological and moral power to promote great national unity irrespective of differing ideologies and systems existing in the north and the south.