The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi left for North Korea today to attend the Sixth Pyongyang Film Festival of Non-aligned and other Developing Countries which is being held there from September 16 to 25, 1998. The Pyongyang International Film Festival is a bi- annual event, which is aimed at promoting exchange and co-operation among world film makers with the ideal of "Independence, peace and friendship". India is participating in this Film Festival with four feature films; Souda by Nabyendu Chatterjee, Shesha Drishti by A.K Bir, Kaliyattam by Jayaraj, Gol Mal by Hrikesh Mukherjee and one non-feature film Nirankush by Venu Arora. Shri Naqvi will be visiting North Korea as a State guest on the invitation of the Government of Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea.

On his way back to India, the Minister will also visit Hongkong to attend a function organised in his honour by the Indian Muslims' Association of Hongkong. During his stay in Hongkong, Shri Naqvi will also utilise this opportunity to survey the uplinking facilities, that have been installed there by various satellite channels, for the purpose of beaming programmes into India. The Minister will return to India on September 28, 1998.

The Indian feature film "Souda" (a Deal) directed by Nebyandu Chatterjee was screened at the inauguration of the Sixth Film Festival of Non-Aligned and Developing Countries being held at Pyongyang in North Korea from September 16 to 25, 1998. Mr. Jo Chang Gu, Vice Minister of Culture of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Vice Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Film Festival informed the Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who arrived in North Korea yesterday as guest of honour in the Film Festival, about the increasing popularity of Indian films which are receiving full audience in all the movie theatres in the country. He also expressed the gratitude of his Government to the Government of India for having deputed a high level delegation for the Film Festival.

Shri Naqvi, while acknowledging the invitation of Government of DPR Korea for having invited a ministerial level delegation for the Film Festival, said that the basic cultures of the two countries are similar in many respects. He also expressed his hope that the future will see many more frequent exchanges of ministerial level delegation between the two countries on an even more enhanced level of goodwill, understanding and co- operation.

The Minister also visited Mansu Hill in Pyongyang and presented a floral basket at the statue of the late President Kim Il Sung, father of the Supreme Leader of DPRK Kim Jong Il.

Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, accepted in principle the offer from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to sign a Protocol on Agreement between the two countries. In a meeting with Mr. Kim Dok Yang, Chairman, Information Committee,

Democratic People's Republic of Korea both sides expressed a need to conclude an information agreement. It would facilitate exchange of news - both print and electronic media - between the two countries, with a view to spreading greater information about each other's countries among their peoples, so as to strengthen the existing friendly relations between the two countries. This would be a natural corollary to the Cultural Exchange Programme which already exist between the two countries, and, under which, exchange of cultural troupes and films is already taking place. This Cultural Exchange programme was signed in 1976 and is renewed on a biannual basis.

Praising the culltural heritage of North Korea which shares various similarities with the culture of India, Shri Naqvi expressed hope that the future would see even greater co-operation in the field of cultural information between the two countries. The dignitaries from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea greatly welcomed Shri Naqvi's offer to increasing cultural and information exchanges between the two countries and expressed the gratitude to the Government of India for the help that has been rendered to their country during the present difficult times, in the wake of various natural calamities that North Korea has been a victim of.