UNDP SUSPENDS OPERATIONS IN NORTH KOREA

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000172

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EFIN UNDP KN
SUBJECT: UNDP SUSPENDS OPERATIONS IN NORTH KOREA


1. USUN has received a note from UNDP Administrator Kemal
Dervis informing Executive Board Members that UNDP has
suspended operations in North Korea due to North Korea's
refusal to accept the Executive Board decision of January 25,
2007 on the continuation of its country program. Mission
will provide assessment of implications of this step
following further consultations with UNDP. Text of the
message follows para 2:


2. Begin Text:

Date: 2 March 2007

Dear members of the Board,

UNDP has closely been following and implementing the
collective decision of the Executive Board members of 25
January 2007 to continue its future country programme in
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Some of the
key measures that were required by the Board decision
included adjusting the context of the current country
programme (2005-2006) and the proposed country programme
(2007 - 2009) to support sustainable human development
objectives.

UNDP has received a letter from his Excellency Mr. Pak Gil
Yon, Permanent Representative of the DPRK to the UN on 1
March 2007 when he met the UNDP Associate Administrator Mr.
Ad Melkert. In this letter as well as the meeting, the
government of DPRK has expressed disagreement with the
modification of the country programme and also with some of
the measures such as ending all payments in hard currency to
government, national partners, local staff and local vendors
and discontinue subcontracting of national staff via
government recruitment.

Under these circumstances and given the Board's decision,
UNDP has no choice but to suspend operations in DPRK and we
would like you to be aware of this decision. We have
informed the DPRK government to that effect. Should
circumstances change at a later date, UNDP could reconsider.

Yours sincerely,

Kemal Dervis

WOLFF