Telegram 066764 from the Romanian Embassy in Pyongyang to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pol Pot’s Visit to the DPRK

TELEGRAM 066764

To: the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to comrade Ion Ciubotaru

From: the Romanian Embassy in Pyongyang

Subject: Pol Pot’s visit to the DPRK

Date: October 10, 1977

Classification: Secret

Following an invitation from Comrade Kim Il Sung, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, President of the DPRK, Pol Pot, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea, made an official visit of friendship to North Korea during 4-8 October.

Part of the DPRK’s current efforts for establishing, maintaining, and diversifying friendly and collaborative relations with Asian countries, the Kampuchean visit was met with special, unprecedented attention.

Back in public opinion after an absence of approximately two years, Democratic Kampuchea has received wide coverage in the [North] Korean media, particularly in regards to the Kampuchean Communist Party’s 17th anniversary and the aforementioned visit.

The unprecedented level of preparations for the visit, as well as the numerous expressions of friendship, solidarity, and identity of opinion and interest indicate the DPRK’s desire to develop bilateral relations with Kampuchea on multiple levels and to award these relations a very special attention. As such, Kim Il Sung emphasized in a speech that ‘the Korean people will tirelessly strive to achieve exemplary relations between the two countries.’ On the other hand, Pol Pot underlined the close ties of brotherly and revolutionary friendship, as well as the militant solidarity between the two countries, based on the principles of ‘Marxism-Leninism and genuine Proletarian Internationalism.’

Kim Il Sung’s speeches delivered during Comrade Pol Pot’s visit to the DPRK reveal ‘the great joy of the Korean people to have such a strong ally within Asia.’ The speeches, as well as the joint press release, emphasize the identity of opinion between the two countries regarding Korean reunification and the socialist revolution in Kampuchea. ‘Protecting the territorial integrity of the country’ was particularly underlined.

Among others, President Kim Il Sung emphasized that safeguarding the revolutionary gains of Democratic Kampuchea is ‘a holy international duty.’

In his speech, Pol Pot stated: ‘we will never attack or instigate aggression against any neighboring or distant country. We will never intervene in the internal affairs of other countries or conduct espionage operations in any neighboring or distant country. But we will not allow anyone to intervene in our domestic affairs and to conduct subversive or espionage operations against our country.’

We gather that the repeated references to Kampuchea’s territorial integrity in Pol Pot’s speeches are directed to the country’s current relation with the neighboring Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Referring to the current international scene, both Kim Il Sung and Pol Pot emphasize the enhanced role of the Non-Aligned Movement and Third World countries and the importance of respecting the principles of independence and sovereignty, territorial integrity, the right to decide over one’s own fate and non-interference in internal affairs.

Both parties express solidarity with developing countries’ struggle to implement a new international economic order.

In his speeches, Kim Il Sung mentioned the importance of the role the Kampuchean people’s revolutionary struggle played in accelerating the anti-imperialist emancipation struggles of oppressed peoples in Asia and around the world.

Within context, the DPRK’s and Democratic Kampuchea’s contribution to the development of the international communist movement were mentioned.

On the occasion of the Kampuchean delegation’s visit to the DPRK, there have been numerous references to the Asian continent. Thus, President Kim Il Sung noted: ‘the revolutionary process of transition from colonialism to a new, independent, and flourishing Asia was not easy. A fierce struggle between the peoples of these countries and the imperial and colonial forces is under way, like it was in the past. We will continue this resolute struggle in close cooperation with the Asian countries fighting against imperialism and colonialism, and we will build a new Asia, free from exploitation, suppression and inequality.’

Members of the diplomatic corps in Pyongyang noted the particular attention offered by the DPRK to the Kampuchean delegation’s high-level visit.

In a discussion with V. Nanu, Liu Kung Bai [sic], Adviser for the Chinese Embassy, noted that Pol Pot enjoyed special attention even in Beijing.

Pol Pot’s visits to Pyongyang and Beijing, noted the Chinese Adviser, ‘represent the beginning of a new stage in the development of bilateral relations between Democratic Kampuchea and other countries, and such visits will take place in many other partner countries.’

Signed: V. Nanu