Present there on invitation were Salvador Antonio Valdes Mesa, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., CPC and vice-president of the Council of State of Cuba, and his party on a visit to the DPRK as a special envoy of Raul Castro Ruz, first secretary of the C.C., CPC, and staff members of the Cuban Embassy here.

Present there were Ri Su Yong, member of the Political Bureau and vice-chairman of the C.C., WPK, Ri Chang Gun, vice department director of the C.C., WPK, Sin Hong Chol, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Ri Kwang Gun, vice-minister of External Economic Relations, and officials concerned.

Ri Su Yong in a speech said that the great Comrade Kim Il Sung and Comrade Kim Jong Il together with respected Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz and Comrade Raul Castro Ruz provided the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the two parties and two countries.

He wholeheartedly wished the Cuban party and people greater successes in the drive to defend socialism, the gains of revolution, and implement the decision of the Seventh Congress of the CPC under the leadership of Raul Castro Ruz.

He said that the DPRK will in the future, too, make positive efforts to steadily develop the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation with the Cuban party and people, true to the noble intention of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, chairman of the WPK.

Salvador Antonio Valdes Mesa in a speech said that the great Comrade Kim Il Sung and Comrade Kim Jong Il extended firm support and solidarity to the Cuban people whenever they suffered difficulties and ordeals, and the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un is now invariably carrying forward the cause of the preceding leaders.

The Seventh Congress of the CPC stressed again the will not to give up socialism but develop it in a sustainable manner and continue developing the relations of solidarity with all countries which have supported the Cuban revolution traditionally and historically, he noted.

Expressing belief that the current visit would serve as a significant occasion for further developing the traditional relations of friendship between the two countries, he noted that Cuba would develop the relations with the fraternal Korean people in the future, too.