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Seoul Hails Pyongyang's Call for Inter-Korean Dialogue. Seoul Thursday welcomed Pyongyang's Tuesday call for inter-Korean governmental dialogue. Seoul Thursday welcomed Pyongyang's Tuesday call for inter-Korean governmental dialogue. In a statement issued Thursday morning, the South Korean Unificaiton Ministry said South Korea will be sincere in implementing the June 2000 Joint Declaration and is willing to reopen inter-governmental dialogue to discuss pending issues at any time without preconditions. "Inter-Korean dialogue is indispensable for achieving a peaceful coexistence and improved inter-Korean relations," the statement said. South Korea hoped that the two sides of the Korean peninsula will be able to "reopen suspended talks and implement the agreements as sincerely as possible," the ministry said in the statement. It added that Seoul also hoped the relationship between both sides "will help settle reconciliation, cooperation and friendshipbetween the two parts of the divided peninsula." South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)issued the joint declaration after a historic summit between SouthKorean President Kim Dae-jung and DPRK leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang One June 13-15, 2000. However, inter-Korean relations came into stalemate after the fifth inter-Korean ministerial talks failed last October. Early Thursday, former Unification Minister Park Jae-kyu said at a seminar that inter-Korean relations are bound to improve soonbecause Pyongyang needs to cooperate with Seoul to solve its economic troubles and wants to improve its relationship with Washington. In addition, South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Yim Sung-joonmet Assistant U.S. Secretary of State James Kelly here Thursday tocoordinate the countries' policies toward the DPRK. At the meeting, Yim expressed his positive evaluation of the call by Pyongyang for inter-Korean talks, urging Washington to make concerted efforts to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang. On Tuesday, Pyongyang declared that it will actively seek dialogue with Seoul at both the government and civil level, calling for thorough implementation of the June 15 Declaration, the promotion of inter-Korean relations and a unification campaign,and removing the obstacles to peace and reunification. The declaration was made at a joint meeting of the DPRK government, party and other organizations. **** Sino-Vietnam Border Treaties Equal to Both Countries: Spokesperson. The land border treaty between Vietnam and China and the agreement on the delimitation of the Beibu Bay territorial sea are equal and mutual-beneficial to both countries, a Vietnamese spokeswoman reaffirmed Thursday in Hanoi. The land border treaty between Vietnam and China and the agreement on the delimitation of the Beibu Bay territorial sea are equal and mutual-beneficial to both countries, a Vietnamese spokeswoman reaffirmed Thursday in Hanoi. Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh made the reaffirmation when answering a relevant question at a regular press conference here Thursday. Thanh said "with regards to the treaties between Vietnam and China, we would like to add that the conclusion of a land border treaty between Vietnam and China and an agreement on the demarcation of the Beibu Bay resulted from tremendous concerted efforts made by both sides over many years in the spirit of frankness, mutual understanding and respect for each other's interests." The treaty and agreement were drafted on the basis of respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-invasion, non-interference into each other's internal affairs, equality, mutual benefits, peaceful coexistence and conformity with international laws and practices, the spokeswoman stressed. The signing the Treaty on Vietnam-China Land Border and Agreement on Demarcation of the Beibu Bay marked a new important step forward in building a peaceful and stable environment in the region, creating favorable conditions for the two countries to focus on national construction and development, she added. China and Vietnam signed the land border treaty and agreement on the delimitation of the Beibu Bay territorial sea between the two countries in December 1999 and December 2000, respectively. **** Premier Zhu Meets Egyptian President Mubarak. Through combined effort, the strategic cooperation between China and Egypt will expand in the new century, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said on Thursday in Beijing. Through combined effort, the strategic cooperation between China and Egypt will expand in the new century, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said on Thursday in Beijing. Zhu made the remarks when meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who arrived here Wednesday on a state visit to China. Mubarak, an old friend of three generations of Chinese leaders, has made important contributions to Sino-Egypt and Sino-Arab friendship, said Zhu, noting that Mubarak's previous meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin was "fruitful." Since the 1950's, Zhu said, Egypt has made great achievements in economic development as well as in safeguarding national sovereignty and independence. As a major Arabic and African country, Egypt has contributed significantly to the peace and stability of the Middle East and the world at large, Zhu said. "China speaks highly of Egypt's foreign policy of independence and non-alliance and supports the constructive role of Egypt in the Middle East and international affairs." Despite twists and turns in the international arena, Zhu said, China and Egypt always understand and support each other. As major developing countries, he said, both China and Egypt face the tasks of defending national independence and developing their national economy. The two countries can learn from each other, especially in the field of economic reform, he said. In recent years, trade and economic cooperation between the two have been developing rapidly, and there is still huge potential in tourism and investment, said Zhu, expressing China's willingness to further tap these potentials. The two countries enjoy bright prospects in further cooperation, and in a bid to promote trade and economic ties both sides should explore new ways of cooperation in line with respective national conditions, Zhu said. Mubarak said his three meetings with Premier Zhu in recent years have demonstrated the good relations between the two countries. Both with a long history, the two countries share much common ground, he said. He expressed his belief that the Egypt-China business council, established several hours ago, will surely push forward the two countries' cooperation in investment and trade. Mubarak invited Zhu to visit Egypt again. **** Russian Govt Slams US for Chechnya Position. Russia's government slammed U.S. officials Thursday for meeting a rebel Chechen envoy, and bristled at a Council of Europe resolution deploring human rights abuses in the breakaway province. Russia's government slammed U.S. officials Thursday for meeting a rebel Chechen envoy, and bristled at a Council of Europe resolution deploring human rights abuses in the breakaway province. The unhappy Russian responses came amid revived international criticism of Moscow's 2-year-old war in Chechnya, criticism that had subsided last fall after Russia expressed strong support for the U.S.-led anti-terrorism campaign. Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that a recent meeting between Ilyas Akhmadov, the Chechen separatists' chief international " diplomat ", and U.S. State Department officials "runs counter to the spirit of cooperation and partnership between the two countries in the fight against international terrorism." "The U.S. administration, which says it is necessary to fight any manifestations of terrorism around the world, is actually encouraging Chechen terrorists who continue bandit attacks against Russian servicemen, representatives of the local administration and civilians," the statement said. Akhmadov's meetings with U.S. officials have angered Russians before. U.S. officials insist the meetings are part of several contacts in efforts to promote a peaceful solution to the war. Meanwhile, Russian officials also criticized a resolution by the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly urging Russia to boost political efforts to end the war and denouncing a lack of Russian progress in improving human rights for Chechen civilians. Kremlin envoy Sergei Yastrzhembsky dismissed accusations of human rights abuses. "This is evidently an echo of the discussion about how U.S. servicemen treat Taliban and al-Qaida fighters," he was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying. He and Russia's chief delegate to the parliamentary assembly, Leonid Slutsky, protested the resolution's suggestion that crimes committed in Chechnya be tackled under the Geneva Convention on protecting civilians in war. They said the convention applies only to wars between states. "This is a counter-terrorist operation being carried out by the federal authorities on their own territory, not an interstate conflict," Yastrzhembsky was quoted as saying. **** Cambodia Continues to Strengthen Relationship with China. Cambodian Acting Head of State Chea Sim and Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday said that Cambodia would continue to strengthen and develop the traditional friendly relationship between Cambodia and China. They made the remarks when they separately met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Secretary-General of the State Council Wang Zhongyu on Thursday. Relationship of two countries enters new period Chea Sim said that the traditional neighboring relationship between the two countries has entered into a new development period since the successful visit by Chinese President Jiang Zemin to Cambodia in November, 2000. In recent years, the friendly cooperative relations between thetwo nations have been further strengthened through frequent contacts and exchanges between the top-level leaders of the two countries, he added. Prime Minister Hun Sen told Wang Zhongyu that one of the important tasks of the Royal government is to enhance and develop the friendly cooperative relationship between Cambodia and China. The premier stressed that the special friendly cooperative relationship between the two nations, ushered by King Norodom Sihanouk and the three generations of the Chinese leaders, are based on the solid foundations. Wang Zhongyu first separately conveyed warm greetings of Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Chairman of Chinese National People's Congress Li Peng to Chea Sim and good wishes of Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji to Hun Sen. He thanked the Cambodian leaders for their contributions to promotion of the Sino-Cambodian relationship and appreciated theirstand of one-China. Great potentials for further cooperation He affirmed that there still have great potentials of developing the cooperations between the two countries, in particular in the economic and trade areas, adding that he is happy to see that more Chinese enterprises have increased their investments in Cambodia. The two Cambodian leaders highly appreciated the achievements and experiences made by China in its reform and opening-up. Wang said that his goodwill visit to Cambodia is to implement the consensus and friendly cooperation reached by the two countries during the Jiang's successful visit to Cambodia in 2000. The Chinese government is willing to promote bilateral cooperation in economic and trade areas, he added. He also held a working talk with Sok An on Thursday at the Council of Ministers. Wang Zhongyu arrived in Cambodia for a 4-day goodwill visit on Wednesday night at the invitation of Senior Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An. He is scheduled to leave Cambodia on Saturday. **** A Falun Gong Cult Devotee's Contrition. "The Falun Gong cult misled me into killing my beloved uncle," lamented Qiu Defeng, convicted of murder in the capital of south China's Hainan Province. Influenced by a speech delivered by Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi, Qiu Defeng started to practice Falun Gong in 1994 when he was following a course of higher education in east China's Anhui Province. Qiu Defeng killed uncle On December 11, 2001, 29-year-old Qiu axed to death his uncle, Qiu Junxian, who had brought him up and financed his university education. Influenced by a speech delivered by Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi, Qiu Defeng started to practice Falun Gong in 1994 when he was following a course of higher education in east China's Anhui <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/anhui.html> Province. Since then, Qiu's devotion to the Falun Gong cult never wavered until he was arrested for murdering his uncle last year. On the day of the crime, Qiu had accused his 68-year-old uncle of bewitching him and raged over his uncle's failure to answer the accusation. Qiu Defeng then hacked at his uncle with a kitchen knife and set his uncle's house on fire. Police arrested Qiu on the site where he was preparing to burn his uncle's body. Qiu believed Falun Gong is good before repentance "I suspected that my uncle was plotting to murder me and could not control myself when thinking about a Falun Gong cult lecture which summons followers to endure until there is no need to," said Qiu, recalling his crime. Before committing the murder, Qiu would practice Falun Gong for four hours a day and claimed to have opened the "heavenly eye," which can see what others cannot see and which can distinguish people who want to cause harm. As a practicing cult follower, Qiu had attempted to persuade people to believe that Falun Gong is good for health and that the leader Li Hongzhi is a good person, recalled Qiu Xinshi, murderer Qiu's neighbor. A large amount of Falun Gong books, pictures, disks and items were found in Qiu's house after the murder, according to police officer Yu Jianhua. Qiu realized Falun Gong is an evil cult "Falun Gong is definitely a cult which destroyed my trust in other people, including my uncle, and led me to commit such an appalling act," said Qiu, sobering up from his obsession with the Falun Gong cult. "The cult propaganda said that people can go to heaven in a state of transcendence after death. This is pure nonsense. I do not believe in the cult any more," said Qiu, regretfully accusing the Falun Gong Cult for duping him into carrying out a crime. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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