John Jamit, chairman of the Malta-Korea Friendship Association, and Jean-Pierre Sammut, its secretary general, in a joint statement on April 8 said that the Day of the Sun, the birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, is the common holiday not only of the Korean people but of the world progressives.

Kim Il Sung was a world political elder who ushered in the era of independence, a genius of creation and construction who turned the DPRK into a socialist bulwark and a great thinker and theoretician and outstanding politician who clearly indicated the road ahead of mankind, they added.

Saber Ballul, department head of the Political Faculty of University of Damascus, in a statement on April 7 said that Kim Jong Il's election as chairman of the NDC of the DPRK enabled the Korean People's Army to fully demonstrate its might by frustrating all the moves of the enemies.

The KPA has grown to be an army strong in ideology and faith whose servicepersons unhesitatingly dedicate even their lives to the country and its people as Kim Jong Il directed great efforts to the politico-ideological preparations of the army, he said.