Present at the banquet on invitation were the delegation headed by Miguel Diaz－Canel Bermudez, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, first vice-president of the Council of State and first vice-president of the Council of Ministers of Cuba, and staff members of the Cuban embassy here.

Present there were Yang Hyong Sop, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK SPA, Kim Sung Du, chairman of the Education Commission who doubles as chairman of the Korean Committee for Solidarity with Cuba, and officials concerned.

Yang Hyong Sop said in his speech at the banquet that the delegation's visit to the DPRK marked an important occasion in boosting the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Cuba and powerfully demonstrating the militant might of the two peoples advancing shoulder to shoulder along the road of independence and socialism against imperialism.

Highly praising the government and people of Cuba for extending unequivocal support and solidarity to the Korean people in their just cause true to the revolutionary principle and the sense of comradely obligation, he clarified the firm stand of the government of the DPRK to boost the friendly and cooperative relations with the fraternal Cuban people generation after generation.

Miguel Diaz－Canel Bermudez noted in his speech that the invincible relations of friendship between Cuba and the DPRK provided by President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il with Comrades Fidel Castro Ruz and Raul Castro Ruz have grown stronger under the special care of Marshal Kim Jong Un.

Expressing deep thanks to Korean comrades for cordial reception and kindness, he stressed that the friendly relations between the two countries would be eternal and the Cuban people would always stand by the Korean people.