Solution of issue of women called for at UN

    Pyongyang, October 29 (KCNA) The DPRK delegate made a speech on Oct. 22 during the discussion of item no.112 "Women's Progress" and item no.113 "Implementation of Results of the 4th World Women's Conference and the 23rd Special Session of the UN General Assembly Under the Subject of 'Women in 2000, Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the 21st Century'" at the meeting of the third committee of the 56th UN General Assembly. He said:
    The UN has exerted incessant efforts to solve the issue of women for the last 50 odd years since its foundation and achieved many successes. However, there still exist serious problems requiring an urgent solution, including process of women's impoverishment, discrimination and violence against them and traffic in women.
    In order to achieve peace, stability and development desired by the international community in the new century, it is necessary to find a definite solution to the issue of women. To this end, it is necessary, first of all, to establish a correct viewpoint and attitude towards them, respect their rights and create conditions for their active participation in social life.
    Every country should shape a policy to protect their rights and interests according to its specific conditions and provide conditions for their participation in different aspects of social life according to their wishes.
    It is important for the UN and other international arenas to respect women's status and raise their says so that they may make significant contributions to the global peace and development.
    What is particularly important is to eradicate all forms of discrimination against women, further strengthen legal and institutional mechanisms for them and create an international environment for combating violence against women.
    Discrimination and violence against them cannot be justified under any circumstances. the Japanese government should show sincere attitude toward the issue of liquidating Japan's by making an official apology and state compensation to the victims of the "comfort women for the army."
    For the solution of the issue of women, it is also necessary to eradicate poverty and provide material conditions to them to enjoy their rights.
    The DPRK government will join the international community in the efforts to find a full solution of the women's issue and thus contribute to humankind's progress and development.

Sincere assistance to people in flood-afflicted areas

    Pyongyang, October 29 (KCNA) -- Sincere assistance is given to the people in the flood-afflicted areas of Kangwon Province. The areas of the province were hard hit by torrential rain and tidal wave between October 9 and 10, something unprecedented in the history of meteorological observation.
    Tens of thousands of hectares of cultivated land were inundated or washed away, so that no harvest is expected from there.
    Dwelling houses for over 30,000 families, nurseries, kindergartens, hospitals and other public and production buildings were destroyed. Equipment and materials were brought under water and railways and roads and the network of electricity transmission and supply were cut off and the loss of human lives was reported.
    Leader Kim Jong Il, deeply concerned for the living of the people in the flood-afflicted areas, sent gifts carrying his loving care to them and took a step to bring their living to normal.
    Party officials, the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces, the commissions and ministries of the cabinet, national institutions and people from different parts of the country sent a lot of aid materials to them.
    The Ministry of Light Industry sent them clothing materials, underwear and footwear.
    The Ministry of Power and Coal Industries, the Ministry of Metal and Machine-Building Industries, the Ministry of Construction and Building-Materials Industries and Factories and enterprises under the ministries are sending electricity, coal, cement and steels, badly needed by the areas. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land and Marine Transport, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and the Ministry of City Management are supplying a variety of materials to them.
    Sincere assistance is also given to them by working people from all walks of life in Pyongyang, South Phyongan Province and Nampho, etc.

Greetings to Turkish prime minister

Pyongyang, October 29 (KCNA) -- Premier of the DPRK cabinet Hong Song Nam sent a message of greetings to Turkish prime minister Bulent Ecevit on the occasion of the proclamation day of the Republic of Turkey. Wishing the Turkish government greater success in its work for the independent development of the country, the message hoped that the friendly relations between the two countries would develop on good terms in various fields.
Meanwhile, foreign minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to his Turkish counterpart Ismaile Cem.

Greetings to Turkish President

Pyongyang, October 29 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Turkish President Ahmed Necdet Sezer on Saturday on the occasion of the proclamation day of the Republic of Turkey. The message extended warm congratulations to the president and the people of Turkey on this occasion.
In the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would grow stronger in the interests of the two peoples, it wished the president success in his work for the prosperity of the country.

Bush's remark assailed

    Pyongyang, October 29 (KCNA) -- Recently Bush let loose a string of balderdash pulling up the DPRK. His remark is getting on the nerve of the DPRK and stirring up its bitter resentment. In this regard Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary says:
    At a recent news conference held prior to the APEC summit he told the lie that the DPRK does not respond to the DPRK-U.S. dialogue though Washington stands for it.
    He went the length of saying that the DPRK is too doubtful and refuses to keep the promise.
    The president of a country should be prudent and honest in words and deed.
    Bush's imprudent statement unbecoming for the president of a "superpower" only tarnishes the image of the U.S.
    Indeed, Bush is an incompetent and rude president who is senseless and ignorant as he does not know even elementary diplomatic etiquette and lacks diplomatic ability. It is natural that things cannot go well in the U.S. as long as such a person administers state politics as its top leader.
    Bush should have looked back on his unreasonable attitude and dishonest behaviour against the DPRK since he took office and repented of them. Yet, he asserted that the DPRK is doubtful and should implement its commitments.
    This is a height of folly.
    The Bush administration's "proposal for resuming dialogue" and call for "reducing conventional armed forces" of the DPRK are, in essence, aimed to disarm the DPRK and torpedo the DPRK-U.S. dialogue. The Bush team declared "emergency alert" while massively beefing up the U.S. armed forces present in South Korea under the pretext of filling up the "military vacuum" caused by the military offensive operation against Afghanistan. This is a clear proof that the U.S. hardline policy to stifle the DPRK has not changed even a little because it is a move to escalate the military pressure and war posture against the DPRK.
    It is the Bush administration that has chilled the atmosphere of detente between the north and south of Korea which was created with much effort thanks to the inter-Korean summit meeting and the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration. Such being a hard reality, the Bush administration is wholly to blame for this. Bush, evading the U.S. responsibility for crimes committed against the DPRK, did not bother to groundlessly pull up the DPRK that has sincerely fulfilled its commitments and tell sheer lies and let loose a whole string of vituperation. This can be made only by a political hooligan.
    The DPRK principled stand toward the issue of the DPRK-U.S. relations remains unchanged. It neither neglects nor opposes the dialogue itself with the U.S. but its position is to terminate the abnormal DPRK-U.S. hostile relations, the ties between the two warring parties, and improve them.
    It is good, not bad, to improve the DPRK-U.S. relations.
    The DPRK position is clear and consistent. That depends on the U.S. attitude.
    It is necessary for the U.S. to have a correct conception and stand toward the DPRK if the former is to have the dialogue with the latter. The U.S. should neither consider the dialogue as a sort of benefit to the other party nor use it for achieving a political aim.
    The DPRK is of the view that the DPRK-U.S. dialogue should discuss, to begin with, the issues of putting into practice the points of the agreed framework and the joint communique.
    The issue of resuming the DPRK-U.S. dialogue can be discussed with good faith only when the Bush administration takes at least the same position as adopted by the Clinton administration in its last period.
    The DPRK will in the future, too, approach and deal with the issue of the DPRK-U.S. relations on the principle of independence and get fully ready to cope with any development and the changing situation on its own initiative.

Unionists stage demonstration in S. Korea

Pyongyang, October 29 (KCNA) -- Members of the "Korean Communications Workers Union" staged a surprise demonstration in Seoul on Oct. 24, according to Yonhap News from Seoul. The demonstrators denounced the management side for its unreasonable dismissal of workers and demanded their reinstatement.
Much upset by this, the police authorities rushed police force to the scene to arrest demonstrators.

Japan's rude act condemned abroad

    Pyongyang, October 29 (KCNA) -- Garib Newaz, President of the Bangladesh People's League who is director of the board of the International Institute of the Juche Idea, sent a letter of protest to the Japanese chief cabinet secretary on October 22. He in the letter strongly condemned the Tokyo district prosecutors' office and the metropolitan police office for searching the International Institute of the Juche Idea, the house of its secretary general, the Japanese organization for the study of the Juche idea and other units and confiscating materials.
    The IIJI, not harmful to any government, studies the great Juche idea fathered by DPRK President Kim Il Sung and disseminates the idea to the whole world, he noted, and continued:
    The recent reckless crackdown is part of Japan's hostile policy toward the DPRK and a grave challenge to global independence and peace.
    This is, no doubt, an anachronistic act to blockade study and dissemination of the Juche idea.
    Noting that the Japanese government should be held wholly responsible for all consequences to be entailed from the incident, he urged it to stop such act.