LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT FROM AMBASSADOR TONY P.

UNCLAS ROME 000432 SIPDIS FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME WHITE HOUSE FOR THE PRESIDENT NSC FOR ABANBURY AND JDWORKIN STATE FOR IO/EDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC NSC SUBJECT: LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT FROM AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL ¶1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT DATED FEBRUARY 4, 2003 FROM TONY P. HALL, AMBASSADOR, U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES, ROME. BEGIN QUOTE: THE PRESIDENT THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON, DC 20500 DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO FEEDING THE HUNGRY AND HELPING THOSE LESS FORTUNATE. MY WHOLE STAFF AND I WERE GREATLY ENCOURAGED BY YOUR STATEMENT IN THE STATE OF THE UNION ABOUT HOW GENEROUS AMERICA IS IN FEEDING THE WORLD. IT IS SOMETHING I SAY ALL THE TIME. AS YOU KNOW, YOUR PROPOSAL FOR A FAMINE FUND AND THE EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS RELIEF COULD NOT COME AT A BETTER TIME. MORE THAN 38 MILLION PEOPLE ARE THREATENED BY STARVATION IN AFRICA ALONE, AND THAT SITUATION IS EVEN MORE COMPLEX BECAUSE OF THE AIDS PANDEMIC. IN ALL OF MY YEARS WORKING TO FIGHT HUNGER, I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY SERIOUS CRISES DEMANDING SO MUCH ASSISTANCE AT ONCE. I AM HEADED BACK TO ETHIOPIA WHERE I EXPECT TO FIND CHILDREN STARVING, AS I DID WHEN I WENT IN 1984. I KNOW THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT DEMAND YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION, BUT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR BEST TO PUT INTO ACTION AMERICA'S COMMITMENT TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER AND BUILD HOPE, THROUGH COMMUNICATING AND DEMONSTRATING AMERICA'S COMPASSION FOR PEOPLE IN NEED. WHILE I HOPE THAT OUR ALLIES IN THE G-8 RESPOND TO YOUR INITIATIVE AND CREATE OTHER FAMINE FUNDS, EVEN IF YOU DON'T GET CREDIT ON EARTH, YOU WILL IN HEAVEN. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING ON BEHALF OF THE POOR AND HUNGRY. GOD BLESS. SINCERELY, TONY P. HALL AMBASSADOR. END QUOTE. 2.ORIGINAL SIGNED LETTER WILL FOLLOW. HALL 2003ROME00432 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED