Present there on invitation were Jose Manuel Galego Montano, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK, and the staff members of his embassy.

Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun and officials of the ministry were present.

Pak said in his speech at the reception that the DPRK and Cuba have steadily boosted the friendly and cooperative relations in the joint struggle to frustrate the vicious moves of the imperialists for aggression, intervention and blockade and hold aloft the banner of socialism for the last 50 years since the establishment of the diplomatic ties.

He referred to the fact that Fidel Castro Ruz is extending firm support to the Korean revolutionary cause with an invariable principle and obligation, paying deep attention to the situation of the Korean Peninsula.

He stressed that the Korean people would as ever extend invariable support and solidarity to the just struggle of the Cuban people to defend the sovereignty and dignity of the country and the gains of socialism.

The Cuban ambassador in his speech referred to the fact that the two countries have supported and cooperated with each other in the joint struggle to defend their independence and sovereignty and socialism.

He stressed that the special friendly relations between the two countries have developed under the deep care of Raul Castro Ruz, president of the Council of State and president of the Council of Ministers of Cuba, and Kim Jong Il, supreme commander of the Korean People's Army.

The party, government and people of Cuba will extend invariable support and solidarity to the fraternal party, government and people of the DPRK, he said, expressing hope that the Korean people would attain all their goals and new success would be made in the bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation.