Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Wednesday gave a reception to welcome the DPRK visit by Choummaly Sayasone, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and president of Laos at the People's Palace of Culture.

Present there on invitation were Choummaly Sayasone, Thongloun Sisoulith, vice-prime minister and foreign minister of Laos and member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and chairman of the Committee for External Affairs of the LPRP, Bounpone Bouttanavong, member of the Political Bureau of the LPRP Central Committee and secretary and secretary general of the C.C., the LPRP, Cheuang Sombounkhan, secretary of the LPRP Central Committee and chairman of the Propaganda and Education Ideological Committee, Phongsavath Boupha, minister and secretary general of the Presidency and Chansamone Chanyalath, member of the C.C., the LPRP and vice-minister of Defence, Chaleune Warinthrasak, Lao ambassador to the DPRK, and other suite members and official members of the Lao embassy.

Present there from the DPRK side were Kim Yong Nam, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Choe Thae Bok, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the WPK Central Committee, Kim Yong Il, alternate member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the WPK Central Committee, Pak Ui Chun, minister of Foreign Affairs, Ryang Man Gil, chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee who is chairman of the DPRK-Laos Friendship Association, Han Pong Ho, DPRK ambassador to Laos, and officials of party, armed forces, ministries and national institutions.

Kim Yong Nam made a speech at the reception.

He said the Lao president's DPRK visit marked a very important occasion in boosting the unity and friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and peoples which were forged in the common struggle for socialism against imperialism.

He went on:

The friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and peoples provided by the leaders of the elder generation have grown stronger under the deep care of leader Kim Jong Il and Choummaly Sayasone.

The WPK and the people of the DPRK sincerely wished the LPRP and the people of Laos more admirable successes in their efforts for attaining the task and goals advanced at the 9th Congress of LPRP.

The WPK and the DPRK government will make positive efforts to constantly develop the friendship and cooperation with the LPRP and the people of Laos in the road towards socialism against imperialism.

Choummaly Sayasone, speaking next, highly estimated with pleasure that the fraternal Korean people are registering great achievements in the drive for achieving the prosperity of the socialist country and improving the standard of people's living following the Juche idea and the Songun idea under the banner of self-reliance under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea headed by Kim Jong Il, holding President Kim Il Sung, the eternal leader.

He was convinced that the fraternal Korean people would make greater successes in building a thriving socialist nation and accomplishing the cause of national reunification on the principles of independence, peace and great national unity.

He expressed deep thanks to the fraternal party, government and people of the DPRK for having rendered precious cooperation to the struggle of the Lao people for national salvation in the past and their national defence and construction at present on behalf of the Lao party, state and people.

We will in the future, too, defend and strengthen the traditional friendly and cooperative relations, the good and precious heritages, which were provided by Kaysone Phomvihane, president of the Lao people and Kim Il Sung, the great leader of the Korean people, and have been carried and expanded by the leaders of the new generation, he stressed.

The reception proceeded in an atmosphere overflowing with friendship.

A performance was given by artistes at the reception.