Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Castro gets two awards from North Korea
12-14-2006

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Recovering from intestinal surgery since late July and still convalescing in hospital, Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Tuesday was bestowed two awards from the North Korean government for his 80th birthday.

Vice President Esteban Lazo accepted from North Korean Ambassador Pak Tong Chun the Work Hero gold medal and Order of the National Flag First Class for the ailing president, who on July 31 transferred power temporarily to his brother and Defense Minister Raul Castro.

The diplomat said the North Korean legislature bestowed the awards on Fidel Castro for his 80th birthday. The celebrations for the leader's birthday were postponed from August 13 to December 2 because of Castro's condition.

Lazo said the awards were an expression of the "solidarity and friendship (North Korean) leader Kim Il Sung has always shown" for Castro and Cuba.

North Korea and Cuba, among the world's five remaining communist regimes, established diplomatic relations in August 1960. Castro visited the country in March 1986.