TERMINATION OF WFP HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN

UNCLAS ROME 002920

SIPDIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

STATE FOR IO A/S KRISTEN SILVERBERG; EDA; NEA/ENA; EA/SEA
USAID FOR NATSIOS AND MERTENS; DCHA FOR A/A MHESS;
FFP/LLANDIS; OFDA/GOTTLIEB; AND PPM/BRAUSE
USDA FOR FAS HUGHES
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH/USAID
NSC FOR JMELINE
PARIS FOR GCARNER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KN AORC PHUM PREL SOCI UN WFP
SUBJECT: TERMINATION OF WFP HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN
NORTH KOREA

1. Summary. World Food Programme (WFP) Executive
Director (ED) James Morris told us on September 1 that
WFP would end assistance to the DPRK. He related that in
an August 31st meeting with North Korean Ambassador Choe

Taek San, San informed him of his government's plan to
terminate international humanitarian assistance,
including WFP's emergency operation, by December 31,

2005. The Government of DPRK anticipates receiving a
bumper crop this year, San said, and no longer requires
special help on an emergency basis. He thanked Morris
for WFP's assistance over the last 10 years and suggested
that there may be emergency situations over the coming
years where WFP assistance will be required. He further
iterated that if development assistance is needed,
programs would be managed by North Korean nationals,
whose efforts would be supplemented by the infrequent
visits of short duration (1-2 days) by foreign nationals.
End Summary


2. On September 1, WFP Executive Director James Morris
called a closed meeting with key permanent
representatives in Rome (Germany, South Korea, Japan,
Australia, and the United States) to inform the group
that the Government of DPRK plans to terminate WFP food
assistance effective December 31, 2005. Morris said that
on August 31, Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK) Ambassador Choe Tak San formally informed him that
the DPRK no longer required emergency food assistance
after a bumper harvest in his country. The text of a
letter delivered by San follows para 8.


3. According to Morris, the tone of the meeting was
cordial, but clearly San was delivering a scripted
message with virtually no back and forth. The Ambassador
thanked WFP for the invaluable assistance it has
delivered to the people of North Korea over the past 10
years. The Ambassador also said that if conditions
changed the DPRK hoped it could count on future WFP
emergency assistance.


4. Morris reported that the DPRK would consider
development assistance from WFP provided that the
programs were implemented entirely by North Korean
nationals, with expatriate visits only two to three times
per year. He noted that he had responded to San that
many countries placed restrictions on development
assistance to DPRK. Morris also told San that he would
be willing to visit DPRK to explore how their
relationship might move forward.


5. Morris informed us that he was not particularly
surprised by the DPRK announcement. He noted that the
lack of conditions on the aid being provided bilaterally
by South Korea did not require the same level of
monitoring and end-use checking, and presence of foreign
relief workers, than that offered multilaterally. The
South Korean representative remarked that he hoped DPRK
would reconsider its position on WFP assistance. NOTE:
The Republic of Korea has promised 500,000 metric tons
(MT) of rice and 350,000 MT of fertilizer to the DPRK
this year. END NOTE


6. Also present at the meeting with the DPRK Ambassador
was WFP Senior Deputy Executive Director Jean-Jacques
Graisse. Graisse indicated to the donor group that the
DPRK made the same points to the European Community
Humanitarian Office (ECHO) and a select number of non-
governmental organizations.


7. Comment. The announcement by the DPRK obviously
leaves WFP and donors with questions about the true
ability of the government to provide sufficient food to


8. BEGIN TEXT

Rome, 29 August, Juche 94/(2005)

To: H.E. Mr. James T. Morris
Executive Director
World Food Programme

Subject: Information on the Humanitarian Emergency
Assistance to the DPR of Korea

I have the honor to inform you of the new measure
introduced by the Government of the DPR of Korea on the
humanitarian emergency assistance to the DPR of Korea

The DPR of Korea has suffered from natural disasters for
the last 10 years and WFP has provided humanitarian
assistance that was of much help in overcoming the
temporary economic difficulties and in rehabilitation
work.

We express our deep thanks to WFP for its valuable food
assistance to DPRK.

The humanitarian situation in the country has been
drastically improved in recent years and the Government
of DPR Korea has taken measure to discontinue the
consolidated appeal for UN humanitarian assistance since
the end of 2004 and the Flood Damage Rehabilitation
Committee will end its work by the end of 2005.

Accordingly, the Government of DPRK expects the
humanitarian assistance work of the international
organizations in the DPRK will be terminated by the end
of 2005.

But the DPRK will continue to receive regular assistance
from international organizations and would unexpected
natural disasters occur again in the future, we will
welcome humanitarian assistance.

The above-mentioned information has already been reached
to the UN coordinator and the WFP country director in
Pyongyang.

I avail myself of this opportunity to reiterate our
gratitude for the humanitarian food assistance rendered
by WFP to DPRK.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurance of my
highest consideration.

Choe Taek San
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of DPRK
To UN Food and Agricultural Agencies in Rome

CLEVERLEY


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2005ROME02920 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED