Cuban President Raul Castro met with Vice Marshal Ri Yong Ho, Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA), at the Palace of the Revolution on Wednesday. 

Both leaders highlighted on Wednesday the excellent state of bilateral relations between their nations, an expression of the historic ties of friendship that unite the peoples and governments of Cuba and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. 

They also discussed international issues, Granma newspaper reported on Thursday. 

The meeting was also attended by the military delegation accompanying the vice marshal; Cuban Vice President Army Corp Gen. Julio Casas Regueiro, and deputy defense ministers and army corp generals Leopoldo Cintra Frias, Alvaro Lopez Miera and Ramon Espinosa Martin. 

The visitors were welcomed on Wednesday morning at the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces by Deputy Defense Minister Army Corp Gen. Lopez Miera, and other high-ranking military officials. 

Cuban First Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura awarded Vice Marshal Ri Yong Ho with the Order of Solidarity.

The military officials accompanying Vice Marshal Ri Yong Ho were decorated with the medal of Combative Fraternity medal and the distinction of Distinguished Service. 

Vice Marshal Ri Yong Ho and his accompanying delegation returned home on Wednesday night.