North Korean Leader Calls for Friendly Relations With China RIA Novosti, PUBLISHED October 01, 2013 North Korea reached out Monday to China, its traditional geopolitical patron, in an apparent attempt to mend ties damaged by the latest Korean crisis earlier this year, a South Korean news agency said. North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un stressed “the need to strengthen traditionally friendly relations” between the two countries in a message to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Yonhap reported. The message, which was to congratulate Xi on the 64th anniversary of the inception of the People’s Republic of China, also praised Beijing’s “stunning political, economic, cultural and technical achievements,” Yonhap said. The South Korean agency cited the Pyongyang-based Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) for the message, though the text was not available on KCNA website, which had no news items for Monday as of this article’s publication. Beijing is traditionally seen as the sole international ally of Pyongyang and the main trade partner of the impoverished isolationist state, which is also heavily reliant on humanitarian aid from China. However, bilateral relations soured after North Korea conducted last spring a nuclear test and a ballistic missile launch, and proceeded to threaten South Korea and the United States with nuclear strikes after tensions escalated, a standoff that China largely failed to influence. In return, official Beijing imposed a number of sanctions against Pyongyang, including a suspension of North Korean foreign financial transactions going through China and an embargo on military imports. Other news: The celebration ceremony of the first concrete installation took place at Tianvan NPP unit 4 The Chinese party was represented by officers from CNNC and JNPS. Russia Gives Iran Control of Bushehr Nuclear Plant Construction of the power plant began in the 1970s but was plagued by delays. Rosatom to Be Key Contractor in Finnish NPP Project – Putin Aide Finland currently operates four nuclear reactors in two power plants, all located on the shores of the Baltic Sea. |
Hero of the day Jacques Repussard: knowledge, independence, proximity They told me: "Mr Repussard, we're not used to responding to anti-nuclear organisations". To which I replied: "We will not reveal any state or trade secrets, but we will not leave them without any answer". INTERVIEW
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