The Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, KIM JONG IL, has recently been several times a frontpage new, in the occasion of the meetings with the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the Japanese one Koizumi.

A few know that the “Dear Leader”, as his citizens call him, since 10 years has a great friend in Italy, Dott. Carlo Baeli, who periodically entertains pleasant meetings and an abundant correspondence with, also in the view of the activity of the Group led by himself.

Since 1978 CIS ESTERO srl is active in the field of foreign exchange, with its qualified services of financial and commercial advising, focused on import-export. During the past years CIS ESTERO (www.cisestero.it) has carried out its advising activity, with regard to supplies of equipments and machineries to Countries like as Cuba (revamping of 2 Hotels), Russia (supply of a Fish processing plant), Tunisia (realization of a Waste recycling plant), Turkey, China and many more. Last but not least the D.P.R. of Korea, where in 1992 a US$ 100 mio. line of credit has been arranged in support of a Supply Contract for gold and silver extraction.

On September 13th, during a business visit in Pyongyang, Carlo Baeli – guest of the Korean holding KOREA DAESONG ECONOMIC GROUP – has been welcomed by the President KIM JONG IL together with the General Director of CIS ESTERO Dott. Mauro Baeli and the President of the Holding, Eng. Kim Dong Un. In this occasion, a Tyres Recycling plant has been inaugurated, with an annual average production of over 50.000 Tons of rubber granulate and powder.

“They are making the first steps of a deep economic transformation– tells Carlo Baeli – which will lead the DPRK’s economy to a progressive approach to the market economy. The next opening of a Free Trade Zone in Sinuiju, the second in the Country after the Rajin-Sonbong one, opened by the end of 90’s, is a further demonstration of the Countries’ will to attract the foreign investments”.
“DPRK looks very favourably to the foreign investors – continues Mauro Baeli – as confirmed by the local regulations in favour of the Joint Ventures, and particularly by the Agreement for the Protection of Investments, signed with the Republic of Italy in the beginning of 2001”. Italy has played a main role in unfreezing the diplomatic relationships between DPRK and Europe: the visit of the former Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, On. Lamberto Dini, and the reopening of the reciprocal Embassies, has traced a path which will be followed by the Italian firms – with CIS ESTERO in pole position – as privileged partners and protagonist of the Countries’ new economic deal.

The model Kim Jong Il pays more attention to is the Chinese one, considering the ideological proximity and the long friendship existing between the two Countries, nevertheless we cannot exclude an influence closer to our culture. “We’ve instructed our economic experts to carefully study the teaching of the European economies – the President has declared during the pleasant conversation in the framework of an Italian-style luxury dinner – with the intent to understand their rules and adapt them to our Country. We’ve passed through a dramatic period, when the subsequent droughts and floods have seriously proved our economic standing. But now the worst is over and we can look forward with optimism”.