N Korea welcomes Cuban president to Pyongyang

AFP  |  Seoul 

Cuban Miguel Diaz-was due in on Sunday, North Korea's reported, describing the visit as a "historic event" highlighting the "invincible friendship" of the two allies.

Washington's ties with were fully restored in 2015 after more than half a century of enmity, but have deteriorated since took office.

Communist is one of North Korea's few remaining allies.

"The Korean people warmly welcome the visit to by Miguel Mario Diaz-Bermudez," said an editorial carried by the official newspaper.

"His current visit... is a historic event which powerfully demonstrates invincible friendship and unity and comradely friendship," it added.

The paper featured a separate profile and photo of Diaz-Canel, who took office in April in a historic transition of power on the island, succeeding Raul Castro, who took over from his elder brother Fidel, father of the 1959 revolution.

No further details were given on the itinerary of his visit.

visited in 1986 to meet founder-leader Kim Il-Sung, and held three days of official mourning when Castro died in November 2016.

sent a delegation led by Choe Ryong-Hae, a senior aide to its leader Kim Jong Un, to for Castro's funeral.

in the past has flouted international sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme.

In 2013 seized a North Korean ship carrying an undeclared Cuban arms shipment of Soviet-era weapons and fighter jets hidden under sacks of sugar.

North Korea insisted the weapons were being shipped for repair, prior to their return.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sun, November 04 2018. 12:20 IST