Greetings to Australian General Governor
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of greetings to William Deane, General Governor of the Commonwealth of Australia, on Friday on the occasion of the 125th Independence Day of Australia.
In the message Kim extended warm congratulations to the general governor and, through him, to the Australian government and people on the Independence Day.
After the reopening of diplomatic relations the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries are developing on good terms in the interests of the two peoples, the message noted, and said:
Satisfied with this, I express belief that the bilateral relations will grow stronger and develop.
Meanwhile, premier of the DPRK cabinet Hong Song Nam sent greetings to his Australian counterpart John Howard and DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun to his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer.
Mathematical contest of senior middle schoolers held
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The ninth national mathematical contest of third- and fourth-year senior middle schoolers including students of senior middle schools no. 1 was held here from January 21 to 25.
Participating in the contest divided into six categories were over 400 excellent students from senior middle schools across the country.
Students from East Pyongyang Senior Middle School no. 1, Pyongyang Ryongwang Senior Middle School and several other schools fully displayed their talents and abilities at the contest.
Appeal of 2001 meeting hailed
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The International United Confederation of Koreans and the regional headquarters of the commonwealth of independent states under the national alliance for the country's reunification released a statement on January 15 in support of the appeal to the 70 million fellow countrymen made at the 2001 meeting for the independent reunification of the Korean nation.
The statement described the publication of the appeal as a practical step for meeting the cherished desire of the entire nation.
It expressed determination to implement the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, holding it high as the banner common to the nation, and work hard to decorate the first liberation day in the 21st century as a nationwide festival and thus contribute to the nationwide struggle for bringing earlier the day of national reunification.
Rodong Sinmun on master key of national reunification
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article calls for opening up the door of reunification through national reconciliation and unity true to the spirit of the north-south joint declaration.
Recalling that the incessant aggression and interference perpetrated by foreign forces from long ago brought untold sufferings and misfortune to the Korean nation, the article continues:
The Korean nation's grand march for reunification does not allow any foreign force to edge itself into. The cause of national reunification is a cause to be undertaken by the Korean nation as the Korean nation is responsible for it.
The north and south of Korea confirmed their will to reunify the country and agreed to open up the door of reunification by pooling their efforts at their historic meeting in Pyongyang and in the joint declaration.
The driving force of reunification is the concerted efforts of the Korean nation.
Leader Kim Jong Il's great magnanimity and tolerance encourage Koreans of different social standings in the north, south and abroad to conduct a patriotic movement to open up the door of reunification by concerted efforts of the Korean nation.
No one has the right to interfere in the Korean nation's independent cause of reunification.
There is no doubt that the national reunification, the cherished desire of the nation, will be achieved in the near future if the Korean nation sincerely implements the joint declaration.
Redress for Japan's crimes urged
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The Japan-DPRK Society on Jan. 23 urged the Japanese government to redress its past colonial rule over Korea and open diplomatic relations with the DPRK.
That day representatives of the society met officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and urged the government to make an official apology and sincere compensation for its past colonial rule over Korea, holding that it is of urgent necessity to redress its past colonial rule over Korea in pushing forward the negotiations for the establishment of Japan-DPRK diplomatic relations.
They urged the government to give top priority to the redress for Japan's past for the normalization of relations with the DPRK.
Korean people's cause of reunification supported
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- Friendship organizations in Peru and Costa Rica issued statements in support of the appeal made at the 2001 meeting for the independent reunification of the Korean nation.
The Peruvian Committee for Supporting the Independent and Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement on Jan. 17 that the dramatic change that took place in the relations between the north and south of Korea following the publication of the historic north-south joint declaration is an immortal exploit performed by leader Kim Jong Il, the lodestar of Korean reunification, for the nation.
The issue of Korean reunification should be solved by the efforts of the Korean nation, not through cooperation with foreign forces, and it should be achieved on the basis of co-existence of the differing two systems in the north and the south, the statement said, and went on:
We positively support the appeal which calls for setting the period from June 15, the first anniversary of the publication of the north-south joint declaration, to august 15 as a "period of the campaign for promoting national reunification" and bringing about a great upswing in the movement for Korea's reunification in this period and brilliantly decorating the first liberation day in the 21st century as a grand nation-wide festival for reunification.
The Costa Rican Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification in a statement on Jan. 19 supported the proposals made by the meeting to promote cooperation and exchange in various fields between the north and south on the basis of the common prosperity and interests of the nation.
The statement noted:
We will respond to the appeal of the meeting to bring earlier the day of Korea's reunification through the implementation of the north-south joint declaration.
Solidarity meeting held in Italy
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- A meeting for solidarity with the Korean people was held in Rome on Jan. 21.
The meeting was attended by Michele Capuano, general secretary of the People's United Democratic Left's Wing of Italy, members of the party leadership and officials of the Communists Party of Italy and the Communist Re-Establishment Party of Italy.
Addressing the meeting, Michele said that the imperialists' incessant obstructive moves against the reunification of the Korean peninsula have thrown a stumbling block in the way of the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea.
He cited the publication of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, the reunion of separated families and relatives and the repatriation of unconverted long-term prisoners, etc. as positive developments for the peaceful reunification of the peninsula.
The Korean people's drive to build a powerful socialist country under the wise guidance of leader Kim Jong Il despite the imperialists' continued moves to isolate and stifle the country greatly encourages the progressive people in the world, he noted.
He declared that his party would voice support and solidarity with the Korean people in their endeavours to carry through the tasks laid down in this year's joint editorial and wage a dynamic campaign to foil the imperialists' anti-DPRK moves.
Greetings to Indian President
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Jan. 25 sent a message of greetings to K.R. Narayanan, President of India, on the occasion of the day of the Republic of India.
The message warmly congratulated the president and people of India on the day.
The message said that the DPRK rejoices over the signal successes the friendly Indian people have made in their efforts to build India into a developed industrial country in the 21st century under the leadership of the president.
Convinced that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger in the future in the interests of the two peoples, the message sincerely wished the president good health and happiness and the president and the Indian people greater success in their work to build prosperous India.
Meanwhile, Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, and Paek Nam Sun, minister of Foreign Affairs, separately sent messages of greetings to Atal Behari Vajpayee, prime minister of India, and Jaswant Singh, foreign minister.