Among those present there on invitation were Vice-President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Yang Hyong Sop, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Ui Chun, Minister of Foreign Trade Ri Ryong Nam, Minister of Education Kim Yong Jin, Vice Department Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Pak Kyong Son and Vice-Minister of the People's Armed Forces Pak Jae Gyong.

Staff members of the Cuban embassy here were present there.

Jose Manuel Galego Montano said in his speech at the reception that the Cuban people join the Korean people in significantly commemorating the birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung and the 16th anniversary of the election of Kim Jong Il as chairman of the DPRK NDC.

Expressing the hope that the fraternal relations between Cuba and the DPRK would grow stronger, he wished Kim Jong Il great success in his work of leading the Korean people.

Yang Hyong Sop in his speech noted that it is the expression of trust of the Cuban party, government and people in Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il that the Cuban people join the Korean people in commemorating their above-said significant anniversaries and this constitutes great encouragement to the army and people of the DPRK.

He hoped that the Cuban government and people would achieve great successes in their work to protect the gains of socialism from the U.S. vicious moves to isolate and stifle Cuba and steadily develop them under the leadership of respected Fidel Castro Ruz and Raul Castro Ruz.