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In case you were wondering if Bashar Al-Assad had gotten in touch with a PR agency in order to rehab his tarnished image, news from North Korea's Central News Agency confirms that he has indeed figured a way out of his self-imposed mess. Struggling with your international image? Reach out to other world leaders extending an olive branch and a desire for mutual cooperation. In Al-Assad's case, he chose Kim Jong-Un.
See the letter below reproduced (and presumably favorably translated) by KCNA. Can we interpret that last line as suggesting the bright prospect of more nuclear and missile cooperation? Well, nuclear cooperation anyway...
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Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, on Wednesday received a congratulatory message from Bashar Al-Assad, president of the Syrian Arab Republic.
The message said:
Greeting April 15, 2012 marking the centenary of the birth of HE President Kim Il Sung, the eternal leader of the Korean people, I, on behalf of the Syrian Arab people and on my own behalf, extend warmest congratulations to Your Excellency and wish Your Excellency happiness in good health and the friendly Korean people greater progress and prosperity.
Availing myself of this special opportunity, I express belief that the cooperative relations between the Syrian Arab Republic and the DPRK will growing stronger in the interests of the friendly two peoples. -0-