PROPOSED VISIT TO NORTH KOREA AND THE REGION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 006166 SIPDIS STATE FOR SECRETARY POWELL, D/S ARMITAGE, IO A/S HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2005 TAGS: PREF WFP SUBJECT: PROPOSED VISIT TO NORTH KOREA AND THE REGION CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL FOR REASONS 1.5 ( B) AND (D) ¶1. WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JIM MORRIS HAS INFORMED ME THAT UP TO 4.5 MILLION HUNGRY WOMEN, CHILDREN AND ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE BEING CUT OFF FROM WORLD FOOD PROGRAM ASSISTANCE BECAUSE OF A LACK OF CONTRIBUTIONS. THESE ARE VULNERABLE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVING FOOD AID ON A CONTINUAL BASIS AND WHO ARE NOW BASICALLY HAVING TO FIND OTHER MEANS OF COPING IN THE MIDDLE OF A HARSH KOREAN WINTER. ¶2. MOREOVER, MORRIS IS CLEARLY WORRIED THAT PLEDGING CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 06166 311117Z SHORTFALLS COULD LEAD TO STEPS BACKWARD ON EVEN THE MODEST GAINS THAT WFP HAS NEGOTIATED WITH THE NORTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT SINCE 1995. IN THE WORST CASE, NORTH KOREA COULD CLOSE THE WFP PROGRAM, RESULTING IN THE EXIT OF AROUND 50 INTERNATIONAL STAFF, PRESENTLY POSTED THROUGHOUT A LARGE PART OF THE COUNTRY. ¶3. HAVING VISITED NORTH KOREA SIX TIMES DURING MY YEARS IN CONGRESS, I AM KNOWN TO THE PYONGYANG LEADERSHIP AND HAVE BUILT UP A DEGREE OF ACCESSIBILITY AND TRUST WITH THEM. ¶4. A HUMANITARIAN MISSION THERE IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE WOULD PERMIT AN UPDATE ON RELIEF ASSISTANCE AND OTHER FRONTS AS WELL. PRIOR TRIPS HAVE GENERATED A WELLSPRING OF WIDE RANGING INFORMATION. ¶5. THIS REQUEST IS PROMPTED BY YOUR STATEMENT, MISTER SECRETARY, ON 12/29 THAT: "WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SIPDIS COMMUNICATE WITH THE NORTH KOREANS SO SOME SENSE CAN PREVAIL." ¶6. MY TRIP WOULD BE COMBINED WITH VISITS TO SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN IN ORDER TO STIMULATE ADDITIONAL DONOR SUPPORT FOR WFP'S 2003 APPEAL. HALL HALL CONFIDENTIAL > 2002ROME06166 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL