President Tito's Response to Kim Il Sung's Message of July 7, 1973

PRESIDENT TITO’S REPLY TO KIM IL SUNG’S MESSAGE SENT ON JULY 7, 1973

Brdo Castle near Kranj,

August 22, 1973

Dear Comrade President,

Confirming that I received your letter from July 7, 1973, I wish to thank you for your greetings and well-wishes that you sent on this occasion.

I share your opinion about the development of our bilateral relations fully, and I am truly happy that the friendship and cooperation of our two countries are unfolding successfully. The exchange of thought during the previous interactions of the representatives of our two countries has shown that we have many common interests and goals. In this, I see a solid basis for further development of our cooperation in all fields.

In Yugoslavia, we are well aware of the complexity of the issue of Korea’s unification that, completely understandably, overly occupies you and your countries’ people. All the other peaceful and progressive forces in the world, who stand for permanent and stable peace, feel the weight of this issue as well. This is why we are closely following your and your government’s efforts to achieve an independent and peaceful unification of Korea. We are also well aware of the fact that mitigating unsavory circumstances on the Korean peninsula would be a significant step towards reducing tensions in the world overall.

Supporting your latest suggestions from July 23, 1973, I want to point out that Yugoslavia will, according to its capabilities, continue to actively support the efforts of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to achieve an independent, peaceful unification of the country. I believe that other countries that have the creation of the conditions for a permanent and stable peace in the world as one of their main goals, particularly the non-aligned ones, will do the same.

Truly hoping that your efforts, supported by friendly countries and progressive world forces, will be fruitful, Comrade President, and that you will find ways to reunify the artificially separated Korea and the friendly Korean people in a peaceful way, I send you comradely regards and ask that you accept the deepest expressions of my respect.

[signed] T.